The BC SPCA has opened a new “pet food bank” in Richmond to help feed pets in need across the city.
The program primarily distributes dog and cat food, as well as cat litter, but has met other needs in the community as required, such as for small animals, said BC SPCA outreach specialist Marieke van der Velden.
The Richmond pet food bank launched in late spring of this year, as part of a program that the BC SPCA formally launched in 2020 at most of its shelters across the province in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Corrie Bownick, BC SPCA municipal animal services manager.
Bownick said there are “special food bank volunteers” who come and organize large bags of food into smaller portions, and work with shelter and outreach teams to determine what types of food and supplies are most needed.
While the SPCA wasn’t able to provide specifics for the Richmond pet food bank, van der Velden said it is being “regularly accessed.”
She added that the SPCA’s pet food bank program fed over 33,000 pets in B.C. last year.
“Dog and cat food donations are key in maintaining this program as 95 per cent of what our locations distribute comes from in-kind donations.”
To access the Richmond pet food bank, people can call the Richmond SPCA at 604-277-3100 to make an appointment to pick up what they need. Supplies have also been provided to the Richmond Food Bank.
