Pet Food Assistance

The Food Bowl: Pet Soup Kitchen

 

The Food Bowl is a program designed to provide free pet food to individuals who could not otherwise afford to feed their pets.  

 

Due to the current economic situation, many households are struggling to feed themselves, let alone their pets.  Shelters are seeing an increase in owner surrenders due to financial hardship and we feel it is our duty to help. As a result we have established a Pet Soup Kitchen called The Food Bowl where pets in need can receive free food so their owners do not have to make the hard choice of surrendering them.  We are currently collecting bags of dog and cat food for distribution.   If you would like to help keep animals with their families please consider donating a bag of food today.  Bags of food can be dropped off at our shelter, adoption center, or spay/neuter clinic.  Please call if you have questions 706-353-2287.

Need Pet Food?

We are happy to announce that AAHS is now reviving its Food Bowl program, providing pet food to those who cannot otherwise afford it due to financial hardships. The current economic state continues to take its toll on students, families, and the elderly, and the thought of giving up a beloved companion animal because they can no longer afford pet food is too much to bear. We want to provide that missing link so that people don't have to consider this extremely difficult decision -- we want to keep furry family members in their forever homes. 

If you or someone you know is facing the hard decision of giving up a pet due to lack of pet food, please complete our Food Bowl Application. Food bowl applications should be emailed to Amanda at amanda@athenshumanesociety.org or mailed to The Food Bowl, 1781 Mars Hill Rd., Watkinsville, GA 30677. 

We will begin by approving 5 applications and distributing food to those approved. By the end of the year, we will resume distributing pet food one day a month during posted hours. Please check back for updates on the Food Bowl program! 

Please click here to view and download the application. 

If you would like to support the Food Bowl, you can donate unopened bags of dog or cat food to help maintain our supply of food. Donations can be dropped off at the Zeus House Shelter (on Mars Hill Rd. in Watkinsville) or Adoption Outreach Center (in the back of Pet Supplies Plus in Athens). If you're interested in hosting a food drive to collect a larger food donation, please contact Amanda at amanda@athenshumanesociety.org.

Food Guidelines

  • Must be age 18 or older.
  • Not a dependent of a parent or guardian.
  • Present a photo ID with a current address.
  • Present proof of government assistance or a combined household income of $20,000 or less.
  • Provide accurate and truthful information about the applicant and pets in the household.
  • Understand that the pet food brands provided may not match your current food; therefore, your pet(s) may experience some initial stomach upset due to the change in diet. (Mixing your current food with the new food over the course of a few days should decrease your pet's likelihood of stomach upsets.)
  • Agree to spay or neuter your pet(s) within six months if they are unaltered, and provide up-to-date rabies vaccinations to your pet(s) within the next 3 months if they are overdue for vaccines. AAHS provides low-cost, high-quality spays and neuters at their Athens Regional Spay Neuter Center. Low-cost vaccines are available at the time of spay and neuter or during the monthly AAHS Pet Care Clinics on the first Saturday of ever month (excluding September and November).
  • Understand that pet food assistance is intended to be a temporary solution for individuals and families during times of hardship.

Want to Help?

Donate

Due to the high demand for food, we are in continual need of donations.  This program is only possible with the support of our generous donors.  Click here for a list of Donation Drop-off Points.

Volunteer

We need help picking up the food donated at our Drop-off Point. Email Amanda at amanda@athenshumanesociety.org to become a volunteer.

Be a Pet Food Drop-off Point

The only way we can offer this crucial program is for YOU  to assist us in helping your community.  We cannot help the needs of our community by ourselves.  We need more pet food drop-off sites.  If you have a business or know of one, they can be a drop-off point.  We need your help.  
 
For more information or to join our program, please call 706-353-2287 or  amanda@athenshumanesociety.org. 
 
Click here for a flyer about the program.

Does AAHS provide food for the elderly?

AAHS currently provides food to several nursing homes and we supply Meals on Wheels with food to distribute to their clients. There are no requirements placed on the food that these individuals or facilities receive.