How the APA Pet Partners Program Addresses Pet Food Insecurity

The APA brings pets and people together, and we also have programs that help keep pets and people together. Since 2018, our Pet Partners Program has provided pet guardians in underserved communities within Saint Louis County the resources they need to care for their furry family members. One crucial aspect of the Pet Partners Program is pet food support.

In a study conducted by The Center for Animals and Public Policy, nearly 40% of pet owners surveyed reported that they have, at times, run out of pet food before being able to buy more. Many obstacles can contribute to this, including a need for more local resources like pet supply stores, transportation difficulties, or the decision to feed humans or pets. Pet guardians have limited resources when faced with pet-food insecurity, as government food benefits do not cover pet food. As a result, studies have found many pet guardians turn to their already trusted community resources, such as a local food pantry, for help.

With this in mind, the APA partnered with two local food pantries, TEAM Food Pantry and Helping Hands Food Pantry, located in North Saint Louis County. The APA also provides pet food support through the Dellwood Recreation Center’s Pet Food Pantry. Pet owners in need can thus access the generosity of the APA community through trusted sources. We have distributed over 7,000 lbs. of pet food through these partnerships this year.

While Purina Pet Food generously provides all the food for our shelter animals, our outreach food donation program runs solely on donated food. In the absence of these donations, pet guardians would have to make hard decisions regarding feeding their beloved pets. Want to get involved? Here are some ways you can help:

We also can help you if you want to organize a pet food drive. Email us for more information at outreach@apamo.org. If you or someone you know is struggling with pet-food insecurity, please reach out to our outreach team at the link below, for more information about how the APA can help. Learn more here.

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350555393_Coping_with_Pet_Food_Insecurity_in_Low-Income_Communities