PetSmart Charities has launched an inaugural Pet Hunger Awareness Day which will take place on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 and, from now on, will take place annually on the last Tuesday in September.1 With 34 million people in the United States identified as food insecure,2 the hunger problem trickles down to their pets. The awareness party was created to educate others about the prevalence of food insecurity among animals and its impacts.
PetSmart Charities partners with organizations like Meals on Wheels America through grants that help local programs donate pet food to families like Joyce and her rescue dog Mystie (Photo courtesy of PetSmart Charities)
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Often, families facing food insecurity must make the decision to abandon their pets in already overcrowded shelters. A PetSmart Charities survey also found that 83% of pet owners would forgo their own meals to ensure their pet has enough to eat.3
“We know circumstances change, but that shouldn’t mean it’s difficult to feed our pets. They are important members of the family and we believe everyone deserves the love of a pet. company,” Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities, said in an organizational release.1 “We are passionate about keeping pets with their families because it is better for the animals’ health. and their animal relatives. Providing a helping hand to families in times of need helps ensure animals stay in the homes they love and out of shelters. We are excited to announce this special awareness day to draw attention to this issue and invite others to contribute to solutions.
PetSmart Charities has invited the public to participate in a new social media campaign, the “Dinner Dance Challenge”. For every photo or video posted on Instagram of a pet doing their dinner dance with the hashtag #dinnerdanceforpets between September 18 and 26, 2023, one of its partners will donate $2, up to a maximum of $10,000, to PetSmart Charities. The same partner will also match individual donations made to petsmartcharities.org up to $40,000 throughout the month of September.1
This Pet Hunger Awareness Day, PetSmart Charities is partnering with Feeding America to distribute pet food, in addition to human food, to feed families in need. Feeding America affiliates and volunteers at Feeding Tampa Bay, Florida; St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix, Arizona; Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colorado; and the San Antonio Texas Food Bank will participate in these pet food distribution events.1
“When families are food insecure, so are their pets,” Diane Letson, vice president of food industry partnerships at Feeding America, said in the release. “Pet Hunger Awareness Day highlights this critical issue as our thriving partnership continues to make an impact across the country. We are grateful to partners like PetSmart Charities who share our mission and whose contributions make a meaningful difference for neighbors facing hunger. The compassionate distribution of pet food alongside human food at our local partner food banks ensures that families and their pets are not only fed, but also stay together.
The references
- PetSmart Charities is launching the first-ever annual Pet Hunger Awareness Day on September 26. Press release. PetSmart Charities. September 18, 2023. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/petsmart-charities-unleashes-first-ever-annual-pet-hunger-awareness-day-on-sept-26 – 301929861.html
- Hunger in America. Feed America. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america
- Fido comes first: New survey finds pet parents reportedly go hungry to make sure their pets don’t. Press release. PetSmart Charities. September 14, 2023. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://petsmartcharities.org/press-releases/fido-comes-first-new-survey-reveals-pet-parents-would-go-hungry-to-make-sure – animals-don’t-