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Food Donation Helps Struggling Pet Owners

DETROIT (CW50) – On the heels of a successful community pet food donation drive that helped fill a truck with food for the Michigan Humane Society's free pet food bank, another gift has arrived just in time for the New Year.

And it means a holiday full of hope for hundreds of local animals.

More than eight pallets of Purina Dog Chow was delivered to MHS this week. This gift of hundreds of pounds of dog food will be used to support MHS' free pet food bank program, which every year helps thousands of pet owners who love their pets but have fallen on hard times and are struggling to feed them.

"Every day, dozens of pet owners depend on the MHS pet food bank to feed their four-legged friends," said Debby MacDonald, MHS Chief Cruelty Investigator and MHS Detroit Facility Director. "These are people like you and me who love animals, but who may have fallen on hard times. Without programs like these, they'd be forced to give up their best friend.  We are extraordinarily grateful to Purina Dog Chow for this generous donation, which will help MHS keep hundreds of families together this holiday season."

MHS' pet food bank assists qualifying low-income families in metro Detroit by providing them with dog or cat food at no charge. The program is supplied through food donations at MHS' three centers for animal care, in Detroit, Rochester Hills and Westland. Low-income pet owners can pick up one bag of food every week to help feed their hungry pets.

Last Wednesday, MHS was proud to team up with the Detroit Red Wings, including former player Kirk Maltby and the voice of the Red Wings, Ken Kal, at the MHS Detroit Center for Animal Care to help "Fill the Truck" with pet food. Through the community's tremendous support, more than 100 bags of pet food were collected, and are already being distributed to struggling pet owners.

"No pet should ever go hungry," MacDonald said. "Thanks to the generosity of Purina Dog Chow and everybody who came out to donate food, dogs and cats across metro Detroit will have a much brighter holiday."

For more information about the MHS free pet food bank, including eligibility information, visit www.michiganhumane.org, or call 1-866-MHUMANE (648-6263), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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