GREENVILLE, NC (WITN) - An Eastern Carolina business is using the love for animals to give back to pets in need in the community.
Nease Personnel is holding its "Tenth Annual Stock the Shelter" pet food and supply event. It's a fundraiser that is close to one employee's heart.
Patti Columbe is a personal assistant at Nease Personnel who brings her service dog to work with her every day.
"Not only do we love pets but we have them here in the office every day," said Columbe.
Because so many of their employees at Nease love animals, the personnel agency recognized a need for pets in the Greenville community. Out of that need grew the initial pet food and supply drive to benefit the Pitt County Animal Shelter and the Pet Food Pantry of Eastern North Carolina.
Year after year, they continued to collect food during winter months for shelter pets. They're now beginning their 10th pet food collection fundraiser.
Patti Columbe said, "We've seen the shelters just have not enough of what they need especially when people are in the armed forces have to leave or people are affected by the hurricanes that we've had and their pets are going to the shelters because they don't know where their families are."
Kelli Young with the Pitt County Animal Shelter said the shelter is always in need of donations.
Young said, "Intake of supplies is just really important for being able to feed and care for, make sure everyone has beds and make sure the messes get cleaned up, all of that,"
She added that basic supplies are always a necessity.
"We're always accepting the general you know, pet food for cats, dogs, kitten, and puppy food specifically is always very helpful, toys, blankets, towels," says Young.
She adds we need the community to do its best to help with animal welfare.
"Every aspect of the community needs to be involved with if we're going to continue making progress in saving more lives, getting more animals rescued," says Young.
Nease personnel encourages other businesses to become donation sites for the event.
They will be accepting donations until November 20th.
