Through the No Empty Bowls feeding mission, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society are partnering with Nutram Pet Products to deliver 90,000 kilograms of pet food to underserved communities across the province.
“The Ontario SPCA works with a number of different groups, rescue organizations, and food banks. It’s definitely all about partnerships for us to be able to get food distributed across the province,” said Kallie Milleman, a spokesperson for the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.
Half of that amount — 45,000 kilograms — will make its way to Northern Ontario where rescues in Dryden (Second Chance Pet Network) and Thunder Bay (Northern Reach Rescue) will distribute the food to communities across the north.
This initiative is led by passionate animal-loving volunteers who dedicated their time to ensure that pets won’t go hungry.
“We are so lucky to have trucks donated to us. Warehouse spaces donated to us. And then, we are able to get the food moving to locations across Ontario, distributed to those local rescue groups and food banks, and into those communities that need the support,” Milleman said.
The Ontario SPCA acknowledged the challenges in underserved communities, particularly in the remote areas of the North, where accessing pet food is not easy.
“The cost of living has increased and it has become more difficult for some families to care for their pets,” said Milleman.
“Our goal is to keep pets with their families and prevent unnecessary re-homing, so for us to help support pet families that are in need of access to pet food, whether it be due to their location if they are in remote northern areas or because of the cost of living increasing, that why we work with these groups and these food banks to help get food to these folks,” Milleman said.
Anyone interested in supporting the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society by donating funds, unopened pet food or looking to volunteer, visit ontariospca.ca.
