Pet food pantry serves 300 families

The Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA) temporary Corona Crisis Pet Food Pantry will be closed this coming Tuesday and Thursday.

AWA hopes to open it again soon, officials with AWA said in a press release.

“We have unofficial word that a shipment of pet food is coming to us, but we don’t know exactly how much or when,” explained AWA President Marge VanPraag.

“As soon as we know anything we will announce a distribution day.”

AWA’s pet food pantry opened Thursday, April 2, and conducted a second distribution on Saturday, April 4. In total, about 300 families received donated dog and cat food.

It was distributed to area pet owners suffering financially because of layoffs or other problems created by the current virus emergency.

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.

Customers wait in line to pick up free pet food and supplies from the Animal Welfare AllianceÕs crisis pet food pantry at Poplar BluffÕs old Orscheln store Thursday afternoon.DAR/Paul Davis