Campbell County teams with veterinary clinics for pet food donations

In an effort to keep more pets in their homes and out of area shelters, the Humane Society for Campbell County, Inc. is working with veterinary clinics to ensure pets in the county have access to healthy food.

After several months of collecting pet food donations, the HSCC has redistributed the food to the Altavista Animal Hospital, Rustburg Veterinary Clinic and Seven Hills Animal Hospital so, in an emergency, residents can access food for their pet. The humane society also donated six months worth of pet food to Animeals, a program that delivers pet food to owner’s homes through the Meals on Wheels program.

The food is free to those in need, said Matt Smith, executive director for HSCC. If it proves successful and is not an imposition on the clinics, it will continue long term. Each clinic has buckets full of food and provides plastic bags that can be filled with several scoops of kibble.

 “Hopefully animals will benefit from it,” said Smith. He hopes community members will contribute food as well.

“We would like this to be a self perpetuating act of goodwill,” said Smith, who has accepted several animals because owners say they no longer can afford their care.

The program is designed for people to use as needed, and will not provide owners with 50-pound bags of food.

“We just wanted to help people,” said Martha Wiseman, a veterinary assistant at the Rustburg Veterinary Clinic, where the food sits in the foyer. Wiseman, who said some of the clinic’s clients have had trouble paying for pet care, prefers animals not be surrendered for financial reasons.

“Food can be provided, that should not be the reason for turning a pet in,” said Wiseman.

According to the ASPCA, the first year of animal care can cost up to $1,800 for a dog and about $1,000 for a cat. Then there are the annual costs for things such as food and medications which can range from $580 to $875 annually, depending on the type and size of pet.

Pet food isn’t cheap, said Benny David, Campbell County’s animal warden, but it is much healthier for pets than table scrapes. Providing owners with pet food on a short term basis can be helpful.

Although local agencies do not track the reasons animals are surrendered, David said he estimates about 25 percent of animals now in his center are there because families can no longer afford them. That number has remained fairly constant, he said.

Food donations can be dropped off at: 

Altavista Animal Hospital: (434) 369-7033; 1437 Lynch Mill Rd, Altavista, VA 24517

Rustburg Veterinary Clinic: (434) 821-2421; 1334 Calohan Rd., Rustburg, VA 24588

Seven Hills Animal Hospital: (434) 237-6631; 3431 Waterlick Rd., Forest, VA 24551.

 For more information on HSCC call (434) 821-3034 or visit humanecampbell.org.