The Voices of Change Animal League (VOCAL) will distribute food provided by the new local Chewy fulfillment center to rescues, organizations, churches and community centers.
A new partnership between the Voices of Change Animal League (VOCAL) and Chewy has helped create a food bank to help feed the community's neediest pets.
Chewy, an online retailer for food and other pet supplies, recently established a 600,000-square-foot, $40 million distribution fulfillment center in Ocala. Now, every Friday, Chewy workers deliver 20 pallets of pet food to a warehouse leased by VOCAL. From there, VOCAL volunteers sort and re-package the food for distribution.
The pet food bank has been a longtime goal for Kate Rengel, who co-founded of VOCAL in 2015 with Lauren Carpenter and Linda Norman.
The organization has a mission of making Marion County a no-kill county. The non-profit agency has as its focus dog training classes, plus foster care and pet adoption. Rengel said a low-cost spay-neuter clinic will be offered in the near future.
"Chewy is able to supply us with an enormous amount of food that they cannot sell due to slight damage to packaging. The food quality is not compromised, and much of it is premium food,” Norman said of the new pantry.
Rengel said cat and dog food is provided, but 90 percent of it is for dogs.
“We will be distributing food through qualified rescues, organizations, churches and community centers,“ Rengel said.
Some of the organizations that are being helped include the Marion County Animal Shelter, Marion County Humane Society, Sheltering Hands and Faithful Friends.
Rengel explained that when the food is delivered by Chewy, it is sorted by brand name. The volunteers gather on Sunday. One task is to re-package pet food for delivery by volunteer Diane Ward to Marion Senior Services, through which it can be delivered to Meals on Wheels clients with pets.
Ward said she moved to Florida last year after years of involvement with the horse industry.
“In retirement, I enjoy giving back to the community by working with dogs through VOCAL,” she said.
“Voices of Change Animal League has worked hard to establish a pet food bank that will provide much-needed food to so many animals in Marion County. Chewy is honored to support their efforts with food donations from our Ocala fulfillment center, which will help feed the community’s neediest pets," said Roxsanne Tai, a spokeswoman for Chewy.
Kathy Bartlett likened her volunteer work with VOCAL to “love and heartache – all at once.” She was referring to how she feels after taking in a shelter pet for fostering and having to relinquish it when “a good home is found.” She said that all VOCAL cats are in foster care, as are most dogs.
Carpenter manages foster care and adoptions for the agency. She said VOCAL always is looking for more volunteers to promote the agency mission. She said it is “an eye-opener” to see so many people who are so caring.
Rob Carney volunteers by walking the dogs housed at the VOCAL shelter, and by working on fencing and other property issues. As the former owner of Foxy Carpet One, he is known in the community for being the owner of the sheltie Miss Shelby, who appeared with him in advertising before she died in 2014.
Debbie Carney, Rob's wife, is the cat adoption coordinator. She spoke of owning “several fur children at the Carney Inn.” She said she loves “being a partner in the community and helping to stop the homelessness of pets by providing food and a good home. “
Jon Anderson described himself as “a jack of all trades.” He said he "does stuff" that needs to be done around the VOCAL facility. He said when he retired he did not want to play golf, but instead sought activity that fit into his love for animals.
“It is heartwarming to see people working from the heart rather than for a paycheck,” he said.
Mimi Eller, a VOCAL board member, is in charge of the VOCAL Youth Council, which is involving local middle- and high-school students in volunteering for the agency.
To learn more about VOCAL, including volunteer opportunities, call 289-0800 or visit www.vocalforpets.org.
