Crisis pet food pantry opens Thursday

The Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA) is opening a temporary Corona Crisis Pet Food Pantry starting Thursday, April 2.

Free pet food will be distributed to area pet owners who are suffering financially because of layoffs or other problems created by the current virus emergency. Recipients will be limited to residents of Butler, Carter, Ripley and Wayne Counties.

“Many folks in our four-county area have been laid off and must choose between feeding their families and feeding their pets,” said Marge Van Praag, president of AWA. “We want to help them out the best we can until state unemployment and federal stimulus checks start arriving.”

Depending on donations, AWA hopes to operate the pet food pantry for two to four weeks. The project was developed in cooperation with Butler County Emergency Management.

Recipients of the free pet food will be limited in the number of bags they can take per week. The Corona Crisis Pet Food Pantry is located at the former Orscheln store site next to Planet Fitness.

Days of operation are: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 6 p.m.

Donations of pet food will be needed on a continuing basis and will be accepted on the same days and times. Donations are tax deductible.

Donors and recipients are asked to observe social distancing and to wear masks or bandannas as well as gloves (even washable cotton gloves will do).

Information regarding the Corona Crisis Pet Food Pantry is available on AWA’s website, www.awasemo.org, as is a PayPal icon for cash donations.

The Animal Welfare Alliance of Southeast Missouri is registered with state and federal regulators as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations to AWA are tax deductible within IRS guidelines.

AWA’s primary goal is to build a regional, no-kill animal shelter on seven acres it owns just north of Poplar Bluff’s city limits.

Meanwhile, the organization spends up to $2,000 a month on programs. With the cooperation of Poplar Bluff’s Animal Control officers, AWA helps provide vaccinations for puppies and kittens in the city’s shelter. AWA also provides $50 vouchers for qualifying pet owners to help with spay/neuter costs. Since its first full year of operation in 2009, AWA has spent more than $77,000 to help spay and neuter area dogs and cats.