Hungry Bowl Drive Nets 3003 Pounds of Food

Letter to the Editor -

On behalf of the , I would like to this opportunity to thank members of our local community for donating to this year’s drive. I also want to thank the local businesses that served as drop off sites for donations.  Those businesses were: Patti Keck Howell of , Janice Thompson’s State Farm Agency, Dr. Judy Duncan, Banfield, and , Director, Douglas County Communications & Community Relations, Douglas County Courthouse. I am also thankful to our local media for publicizing the event.   

With your donations, we were able to donate over 3003 pounds of pet food to the , to the Pet Pantry, to Toni Mitchell with Animal Savers Rescue, Inc., Shannon Edinger with Helping Prevent Homeless Pets, Inc. and Jonnie S. Craig, Bully Wag, Inc. All donated food will be fed to shelter and rescue animals in Douglas County.     

Due to the economy, donations to pet-related charities have decreased. Budget cuts are being made to local agencies, there has been an increase in the number of animals being surrendered or abandoned due to home foreclosures and job losses and many local pet pantry shelves are bare. Your donations were very much appreciated.

I would like to also acknowledge and give thanks to Pet Sitters International (PSI) for creating this international effort to help shelter and rescue pets. My mother and I are very happy to have helped to inspire PSI with the creation of the pet food drive. Because of PSI, thousands of shelter and rescue animals will be fed that otherwise may not have received a meal. 

Sincerely,  Debra Y. Milton, Owner, Four Paws Pet-Sitting Service