Meals On Wheels To Feed Pets

The pets of seniors who receive Meals On Wheels will soon be getting home-delivered meals of their own. Banfield, The Pet Hospital, the nation's largest private veterinary practice, and Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) are again promoting a national pet food drive called "Season of Suppers, a pet food drive for pets in need."

The local Meals On Wheels program is participating in the pet food drive with Banfield, The Pet Hospital inside the Petsmart store at 1220 N Eagle Road, Meridian. Donations of cat or dog food only (wet or dry) can be dropped off at Banfield's through the end of the year. Early next year volunteers will deliver the pet food to seniors on the Meals On Wheels program who have expressed an interest in getting food for their pets.

Last year, in the first year of the program, Meals On Wheels and Banfield, The Pet Hospital collected 1,283 pounds of dry and wet dog food and 746 pounds of dry and wet cat food for a total of 2,029 pounds. Ninety-four Meals On Wheels clients took advantage of the program and kept their animal friends well-fed and happy.

"Pets provide important companionship to our homebound seniors," Said Angela Spain, Senior Nutrition Program Manager with Central District Health, the agency providing Meals On Wheels in Ada and Elmore counties. "The meals we deliver help keep seniors healthy, so keeping their pets healthy too makes perfect sense to us."

Throughout the Season of Suppers campaign, in addition to encouraging and collecting pet food donations, Banfield hospitals will also collect monetary contributions for MOWAA We All Love Our Pets (WALOP) fund, a program that enables local Meals On Wheels programs to begin, or sustain pet food programs for the pets of seniors. Look for displays of Meals On Wheels materials at Banfield, The Pet Hospital.

"Banfield's vision is to make life better for families and we understand the important role these pets play in the senior's lives," said Karen Johnson, DVM, Banfield, The Pet Hospital Vice President and Client Advocate. "We hope that by providing proper nutrition for pets, it helps keep seniors and their beloved pets healthy and happy for years to come."