CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A local animal care service People Assisting Animal Control needs the community's help with one of their growing programs.
It's a partnership between PAAC and Meals on Wheels and it's called Animeals.
Individuals who receive pet food through the Animeals program are on the Meals on Wheels program themselves.
"It was noticed that a lot of home delivery meal consumers were feeding their meals to their pets,” said Tommy Smith, nutrition programs manager for Meals on Wheels. “That’s when people assisting animal control stepped in.”
It’s meant to allow everybody to own a pet.
“Just because somebody is poor, does not mean they don't deserve a pet,” said Cheryl Martinez, president of PAAC.
For the past 10 years, Meals on Wheels has canvassed the houses it delivers deliver to, noting if older patrons have animals that need food, too.
They then give information to PAAC, which determines how much pet food the senior needs.
The food is then delivered from Del Mar College’s west campus.
“The food is in ziplocked bags, and it's all ready for them to go,” Martinez said, adding that the group provides food for about 100 animals.
But the group is seeing more seniors in need of food for their pets.
"We are always wanting to add more, but of course it takes money, it take volunteers, things like that,” Martinez said.
Animeals works strictly off donations of dry food and gets help from volunteers to pack bags.
So, any help is appreciated.
"That might be all that person has, is that one little dog or little cat. some of them don't even have any family,” Martinez said.
For more information, check out PAAC’s website here.
