GRAND JUNCTION, Colo - When it comes to Thanksgiving, many are looking forward to stuffing their faces, but for those who are less fortunate or are going through a rough patch, taking care of their furry friends at home can be difficult.
This is why Tiara Rado Animal Hospital and Community Food Bank have teamed up to collect food for pets around the Grand Valley.
Exactly 1,433 pounds of pet food and $644 have been donated this year, which is around 400 pounds more compared to last year's donation.
Community Food Bank members tell me they couldn't be happier to accept this donation to help pets around Mesa County.
Pets around the Grand Valley can rest assured that this Thanksgiving holiday they've got a full bowl.
This sizable donation of 1,433 pounds of pet food was donated Monday afternoon by the Tiara Rado Animal Hospital.
"This year we are donating 1,433 pounds of food. That is up from last year by about 400 pounds", says Jeff Stroud, the Office Manager at Tiara Rado Animal Hospital.
When it comes to preparing the 1,400 pounds of pet food for the Thanksgiving holiday, a lot of planning and volunteering is necessary.
"The community response to this donation has been outstanding. You are looking at months worth of work and the Tiara Rado Animal Hospital clients have really stepped up", says Stroud.
When asked about the motivation behind this donation, both the animal hospital and food bank share the same compassion towards the community.
"The good thing about this is taking care of people who are going through a rough spot in their lives, and we provide food so they can do other things like paying their rent and pay their hospital bills and so forth", says Biff Messinger, the President of Community Food Bank.
When it comes to Community Food Bank's capabilities of feeding pets around the Mesa County, this donation makes it all possible.
"So if you know the pet demographics of this valley, we're a pet-friendly valley. So when they come in and ask for pet food, we can't buy pet food. Our charter says that we can buy people food for people that are hungry. So the only thing we can depend on is the generosity of people is to donate pet food to us", says Messinger.
The pet food provided from this donation lasts roughly 6 months, which means pets will be fed through the cold months leading up to the Spring.
Community Food Bank accepts all kinds of donations, so if you're looking to help families and pets in Mesa County, stop by their website at http://ift.tt/2izE7HN.
