This week, on All My Children Wear Fur Coats, Stacy LeBaron examined the growing pet affordability crisis and explained how PAWSitive pantry is helping keep families and their beloved pets together.
Stacy LeBaron is the president and chief feline officer of PAWSitive Pantry, a nonprofit committed to supporting pets and their families during times of hardship. Stacy has been involved in animal welfare for over 3 decades. Among countless other initiatives, she hosts The Community Cats Podcast, a weekly program that advocates cat sterilization and welfare.
Founded in response to the 2008 financial crisis, PAWSitive Pantry collaborates with food banks to provide pet food to individuals facing financial uncertainty. The organization works closely with the Vermont Foodbank to distribute pet food to pantries across the state. Additionally, PAWSitive Pantry supports food banks by fundraising, writing grants, and ensuring they maintain sufficient inventory levels.
Stacy outlined the key issues that contribute to pet food insecurity. She touched on the current housing shortage which has forced many individuals to surrender their pets out of financial necessity. She also highlighted the significant rise in the cost of pet food and veterinary services since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Stacy, the demand for assistance has tripled in recent years, with baby food, diapers, and pet food among the first items to disappear from the shelves.
To make matters worse, pet shelters are facing critical staffing shortages and limited access to spay/neuter services, all at a time when these resources are needed most. Stacy underscored the need to make spay/neuter services more appealing to veterinarians, as many are moving away from surgery and into other specialties. She pointed out the benefits of high-volume spay and neuter clinics, emphasizing their efficiency and lower mortality rates compared to private practices.
While PAWSitive Pantry is making a significant impact in Massachusetts and Vermont, Stacy hopes to see its model widely adopted across the country, ensuring that more communities can provide essential support to pet owners in need. She encouraged listeners to reach out to their local food banks and legislators to advocate for the inclusion of pet food in their distribution services.
If you would like to learn more about PAWSitive Pantry, please visit PAWSitivePantry.org. Follow PAWSitive Pantry on social media at Facebook.com/PAWSitivePantry
Protect your pet’s future with a Pet Trust — because they deserve a lifetime of love and care, no matter what! Learn more at ACT4Pets.org!
