The past 15 months have been an unprecedented and tumultuous time for people across the globe. Now, the masks are coming off and the world is returning to a sense of normalcy. While we all celebrate, we must remember that some are still struggling – including our animal friends.
When the pandemic hit, American Humane rushed to help our best friends in their time of need. While animal shelters in big cities reported high adoption numbers, rural shelters were instead seeing an influx of animals as pet owners struggled with the financial impacts of COVID-19 as well as the illness itself. Like every other business or organization in America, rescues and shelters were, and still are, struggling to maintain basic services and care for their animal residents. Thousands of animals continue to be left without homes and facilities are in desperate need of general supplies.
And now that more of us are leaving the work from home life and heading back to work, shelters across the nation are reporting more owner surrenders from families who adopted dogs at the beginning of the pandemic. This is scary seeing as more than 12 million U.S. households got a new pet in 2020, according to a study by the American Pet Products Association.
American Humane’s “Feed the Hungry” COVID-19 fund was launched to feed and care for animals across the country who were abandoned during the coronavirus crisis. To date, with the support of Jean Shafiroff, American Humane board member and national spokesperson for the Feed the Hungry COVID-19 fund, we have provided 99 grants to animal shelters and rescue organizations across 42 states, supplying approximately 870,000 meals to hungry, homeless animals. While this is a momentous achievement, the work is far from over and there are many more animals who need our help.
Our goal is to provide ONE MILLION meals, and this is only possible with your support! If you are able, please consider donating at www.americanhumane.org/feedthehungry. Below are just a few of the thank you messages we have received from grant recipients.
