Writer: Mathany Ahmed
Jack McCue loves his two cats, 14-year-old Corbeau and 4-year-old Tigger. Living with a power wheelchair, McCue spends most of his time at home, watching his pets play. But caring for them can be tough with his fixed income. As he put it, “I find that I have more month than money.”
Fortunately, the Animal Rescue League’s pet food pantry helps McCue and others in similar situations. ARL pet support services specialist Abbey Youker says that by providing supplemental pet food, the ARL helps more than just pets.
“The human-animal bond is unlike any other form of companionship,” Youker said. “It’s unreal. For a lot of these individuals, their pet is their sole source of love and respect. It’s so important to keep people and pets together.”
The pet food pantry began in 2020 when the ARL team spotted a growing need. Since then, the program has grown into a major operation. In 2023, the team distributed nearly 190,000 pounds of dry pet food to 33,266 pets in Central Iowa.
On the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, pet owners can visit the ARL’s headquarters, at 5452 N.E. 22nd St., to pick up prebagged pet food. Donations come from local individuals, retailers and nonprofits, such as Greater Good Charities. Partnerships with the Salvation Army and Des Moines Area Religious Council help expand the program’s reach.
“Individuals can go to human service organizations to get their pet’s food. It’s a one-stop shop,” Youker said. “It’s great that these individuals are now aware of another resource.”
Taking care of pets is an extension of the work that local nonprofits already do to support people in need. When animals don’t have proper care, whether they lack food or vaccines or leashes, they put additional strain on shelters and animal control services.
“When we see a dog starving, nine times out of 10, the human who owns it is also struggling to feed themselves,” Youker said. “More often than not, people will feed their pets before themselves.”
Meals on Wheels, a local program that delivers food to seniors, has noticed the same trend. “We also deliver pet food on Wednesdays,” said Shannon Draayer, the director of health and community well-being for WesleyLife, which leads Meals on Wheels. “We found that people were sharing their meals with their pets, and they weren’t able to get out these huge bags of dog food. We bring just the right amount, every week.”
At the ARL, the pet food pantry plays a key role in preventing shelter overcrowding. Supporting struggling pet owners helps them keep their pets, reducing the number of animals surrendered to the ARL.
Looking ahead, Youker hopes to expand the program through additional community partnerships that help people and pets facing food insecurity.
“We just want to provide a helping hand and make sure people know they’re just as important as anyone else,” Youker said. “And their pet is, too.”
To support the ARL’s pet food pantry, consider donating to the Paw It Forward fund, which enables the organization to buy pet food in bulk.
Iowa Stops Hunger is an ongoing Business Publications Corp. initiative to raise awareness about food insecurity in Iowa and inspire action to combat it.
