Green River officers stand behind the 800 pounds of pet food donated by residents recently for the Green River Animal Shelter's spring food drive; From left, officers Stephanie Ashley, Lydia Holmes, Kim Wilkins, Chief Chris Steffen.
Pet food filled the Green River Animal Shelter last week; 800 pounds of food. The food which spanned the width of the desk from one wall to the opposite was donated to the Green River food bank.
This was the third year the animal shelter hosted their spring pet-food drive, and the largest amount collected to date. The drive collected about 200 pounds of pet food in 2014. The amount collected doubled from the first, with 400 pounds of food donated in 2015. The pounds doubled again from that this year, at 800 pounds.
"Every day there was more," animal control officer Kim Wilkins said. "People came in multiple times with big bags. Our people (Green River) just stepped up and started donating."
Wilkins said the pet-food drive is an important annual event, which helps families in the community. Wilkins said the food bank has seen the pet food help many seniors on limited incomes in the community as well.
"Our senior citizens really benefit from this," Wilkins said.
Wilkins said the idea for the food drive started a few years ago when the animal control officers would deliver donated bags of dog food to families in need around Christmas time.
The shelter only feeds Science Diet to the animals there, because they purchase the food at a discounted rate.
People donate food to the shelter, not realizing many of the food brands donated won't be used at the shelter. So the shelter started donating their donated food to those they know of who are in need.
They would often leave a bag of food at a family's doorstep for Christmas, with a note captioned "Merry Christmas, from animal control."
Wilkins thought "Well, we can't use it, but I know somebody who can," she said. "Anything we can do to help pets and keep them in their home, we're all for it."
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