Updated 12:56 pm, Friday, December 9, 2016
The Lone Star College-Atascocita library is hosting their third annual Pet Supply Drive through Dec. 16 to benefit Volunteers of Animal Protection in Kingwood.
The Lone Star College-Atascocita library is hosting their third annual Pet Supply Drive through Dec. 16 to benefit Volunteers of Animal Protection in Kingwood.
Photo: Courtesy Of LSC-AtascocitaThe Lone Star College-Atascocita Center library is doing their part to ensure the needs of furry, four-legged friends are not overlooked this holiday season by hosting the third annual Pet Supply Drive.
"We started hosting the drive in 2014," said Sara Metz, reference librarian at LSC-Atascocita. "There are a lot of charities looking for help during the holidays. We were talking and realized one thing that does not receive a lot of attention around the holidays is pets and lost or stray animals. They don't get the same attention this time of year and we wanted to do something to help them as well."
The library is collecting donations of dog food, cat food and supplies through Dec. 16.
Items collected during the drive will be donated to Volunteers for Animal Protection (VAP,) a nonprofit, no-kill animal rescue organization in Kingwood.
"Drives like this are important for many reasons," said Lynn Stewart, treasurer and co-director of the VAP board. "We're a nonprofit, so we really rely a lot on the community's support through food donations and money donations to supply food, medication and cleaning supplies that we need at the shelter like blankets and towels. We really rely on the community to help us purchase those items and when they donate, it's that much less we have to spend of our own money that we can use to purchase other supplies and necessities."
For dogs, the drive is asking for Alpo, Pedigree or Purina canned food; Purina or Pedigree dry food; and Milkbones. Cats need Friskies brand canned food, cat treats, and scoop-able cat litter. Supplies requested include new or gently used bath-sized towels; kitchen-sized and yard-sized trash bags; paper towels; paper plates; and wet Swiffer refills.
"We've gotten some food and we can always use food," Metz said. "But, we haven't gotten as many supplies like trash bags, paper plates and new or gently used towels."
Donations can be dropped off at the library during normal business hours, which are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Since the inception of the Pet Supply Drive, Metz reports an increase in the scope of the community that participates.
"When we first started, we were reaching out in the Atascocita Center building only," Metz said. "But, over the years, we've built relationships in the community around us. Now, people are coming in to help who are not just affiliated with the college, but with the community."
The Pet Supply Drive coincides with the library's Animal Month.
"We have a different theme in the library every month," Metz said. "We decided that every December is our Animal Month and we focus on a different topic every year. This year, our focus is endangered animals. We put up displays, held two TEDTalks and feature books about animals."
Metz said hosting the Pet Supply Drive works to connect the theme of Animal Month back to the local community.
"We want to focus on the communities closer to home," Metz said. "There are a lot of animals in our neighborhood that need help finding a good home."
LSC-Atascocita is located at 15903 W Lake Houston Parkway.
For more information about the LSC-Atascocita Library visit http://ift.tt/2gLodaw or call 832-775-0816.
To learn more about Volunteers for Animal Protection visit http://vapadoptions.org/.
