MVMA News

Hunger Affects Pets of the Homeless

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

This quote says volumes for our love of pets in America. Yet for the homeless it is hard to be worthy of such

devotion when you can barely feed yourself. On any one night, it is estimated that 750,000 Americans will be without shelter and they will go hungry (National Alliance to End Homelessness). And of those 750,000 people, “25% have a pet that will be hungry too,” stated FISH Executive Director, Monte Fast. Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and the nation’s capital, Washington DC have the highest rates of homeless people in the United States (National Alliance).

One individual, Genevieve Frederick, in Nevada is working to correct that problem by developing Feeding Pets of the Homeless. She is recruiting veterinary practices to join in a program that collects pet food and partners with a food bank, or food pantry, soup kitchen or shelter that already distributes food to the homeless and disadvantaged.

Clients and potential clients of veterinary practices are more than pleased to help by bringing in or buying extra pet food to fill the collection receptacles in veterinary hospitals/clinics across the country as demonstrated at Sierra Veterinary Hospital in Carson City, Nevada.

“Feeding Pets of the Homeless, program has produced an amazing increase in the visibility of our practice to the community. Using the step-by-step easy kit and the press release sample, we were on the front page of the local daily news the next day. The reporter called the office and spoke with me and then wrote an outstanding article using the information that we had provided. A regional TV news station did a 30 second spot on the program along with our name and address. We have had a large number of new potential clients coming in to drop off pet food and say they support us and the program. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing for days. This has been a great opportunity to involve the staff, increase foot traffic and show the community that we care. I recommend this program to all practices.” Dr. Gary L. Ailes – Sierra Veterinary Hospital

For more information on Feeding Pets of the Homeless contact Genevieve Frederick www.petsofhomeless.com, (775) 230-6229