BUDA, Texas — The Central Texas Food Bank and Hays County Pet Resource Center gave away food to those in need on Saturday morning.
The goal of the drive-up event was to help eliminate the barrier of pet food affordability, in order to keep families and pets together.
"The affordability of pet food can be a barrier for families,” Lee Ann Shenefiel, Austin Pets Alive!'s executive advisor and project coordinator, said. “The Hays County Pet Resource Center supports people and pets by providing access to these local services and helps keep pets out of the shelter system and together with their families.”
Organizers said the event at McCormick Middle School in Buda was very successful, with enough food given away to feed hundreds of dogs and cats. They also gave food to people in need.
"We’re excited to continue this partnership with Hays County Pet Resource Center to ensure that families, including pets, have access to food," Sari Vatske, president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank, said. "Oftentimes, families face difficult decisions and make tradeoffs, so we want to ensure that those tradeoffs don't include surrendering or not feeding a beloved pet."
This is the second pet food distribution event held in Buda. In March, the Central Texas Food Bank and Hays Pet Resource Center served over 250 families in need of pet food assistance.