Keeping Families Together, One Bag of Food at a Time …

By Meredeth Barzen

Sidewalk Dog and its loyal readers are clearly nuts about their pets—most of us would do anything to keep their bellies full and their medical needs met. But for many Minnesotans affected by the economy, the only “anything” available in their situations is to give up their best friends because they can’t afford food and vet care. This grim reality is what drove Kim Carrier to start The Pet Project, which just became official last month.

“I began thinking about The Pet Project in late spring when I heard news stories about people giving up their pets because of the economy. Each heartbreaking situation made me think ‘somebody should do something about this’ and it really became an obsession. I learned that there were several food shelves doing their best, but that they didn’t have a consistent supply of pet food. I decided that if ‘somebody’ wasn’t out there, that I’d better start doing something.”

Carrier’s friends helped her design a logo, build a Web site, create signs and find a lawyer and an accountant. Soon, the Pet Project was up and running, and Carrier was collecting pet food donations at drop-off sites like Urbanimal and Bone Adventure and distributing them at local homeless shelters. Since last the program started in July, Carrier has collected 400 pounds of donated food.

As a next step, Carrier will soon be accepting applications for veterinary appointments—she’s working on partnerships with local vets to get that component of the program rolling. “The truth of the matter is veterinary care is expensive,” Carrier says. “When you have to chose between feeding your family or getting your pet’s rabies vaccination … well, the vaccination goes out the window.” In the long term, Carrier would like The Pet Project to offer seminars for pet owners and landlords that would make an abundance of pet-friendly housing a winning situation for both parties.

“The biggest inspiration, of course, has been my own pets,” Carrier says. “My cats, Sophie and Maggie, and my dogs, Stella and Rosie have been my cheerleaders, teachers, nurses, psychiatrists, comedians and companions. I couldn’t imagine a life where, if I had had to give any of them up, I would have to wonder every day if they were loved and cared for, if they were safe, if I had done the right thing or if they were happy.”

Here’s hoping that with a little generosity from everyone in the “crazy-about-their-pets” community, more dogs and cats can stay with their families, even when times are, well, “ruff.”

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Tags: bad economy, donating dog food, Kim Carrier, Meredeth Barzen, pet charities, Pet Project, Sidewalk Dog
Filed under: community, nonprofits, philanthropy, rescues, vets | 6 Comments »