On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, the Toronto Humane Society received nearly 375,000 pet food meals – the largest pet food donation the animal welfare organization has received in a single day. That morning, two semi-tractor trailers full of pet food from PetSmart’s Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program rolled up to the River Street shelter’s loading dock on Old Brewery Lane.
Toronto Humane Society staff and volunteers were joined by PetSmart associates, representatives from PetSmart Charities of Canada, the program’s delivery partner coordinating the food distribution to animal welfare agencies across Canada, as well as canine-loving Toronto Maple Leafs alumni, Curtis Joseph, to help unload nearly 80,000 pounds of donated pet food.
How does the Toronto Humane Society plan to use that much food? It’s estimated that the City of Toronto is home to at least 1.7 million pets. Consider that almost 25 percent of Torontonians live at or below the poverty line and you’ll find that more than 400,000 pets in this city could be living in households where families may struggle to put food on their tables and in their pets’ bowls.
That’s why Toronto Humane Society operates a pet food bank out of their River Street location providing free pet food to those looking for help feeding their furry family members. Toronto Humane Society also hands out pet food to pet parents in need at the St. James Town Community Centre on the second Thursday of every month.
Together PetSmart, PetSmart Charities of Canada and the Toronto Humane Society are helping to ensure no pet goes hungry in the city of Toronto. If you are a pet parent in need of assistance feeding your pet, please visit the Toronto Humane Society during normal operating hours or visit the St. James Town Community Centre on the second Thursday of every month from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
For more information on the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, please visit www.PetSmart.ca/giveameal
About Toronto Humane Society
Since 1887, the Toronto Humane Society has saved thousands of animals each year. Their mission is to promote the humane care and protection of all animals and to prevent cruelty and suffering. www.torontohumanesociety.com
About PetSmart Charities of Canada:
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc