Nonprofit Organization Helps Keep Pets in Their Homes in Tough Economic Times

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

 

The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen

Who are the folks at The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen? They are an all-volunteer animal surrender prevention program founded in Porter County, Indiana in January, 2011, dedicated to keeping pets in their homes and out of shelters. In the past year more pets have become homeless in Porter County (as in most places in the country) due to families facing tough economic times. The result? Increasing numbers of pets being relinquished to animal shelters. And we all know what that means when the shelters become over crowded.  Michelle Duca, executive director of The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen is out to change this outcome into a win-win for all involved.

The Kibble Kitchen "is working hard to help the families of Porter Co. keep their pets by providing free pet food and supplies to those that show financial hardship and without assistance may be forced to give up their family pet to a shelter," says Michelle Duca. "We are also working on spay/neuter funds for the clients along with vaccine clinics and counseling. Our hope is to become more than a pet food pantry."

Michelle tells me the story of a client who came to the pantry, desperately needing dog food, as she had been feeding her dog her own food due to having lost her job almost a year earlier. She had no money to feed herself, let alone her dog. This woman was also losing her home. Volunteers at the Kibble Kitchen provided the client food, a listening ear, and emotional support. The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen helped her out for several months. During an open house some months later, the client came back, after selling her house, and gave back $500 to the pantry, and many hugs to the folks running it. The client wanted the Kibble Kitchen to know how thankful she was for what they did for her and her dog. The assistance allowed her keep her dog rather than having to give it up to a shelter.

Duca shares that many seniors "just don't have the extra any more to care for their beloved pets. We are now working on spay/neuter funds for the clients along with vaccine clinics and counseling. We truly want to be more than a pet food pantry."

I invite you to support of share the wonderful work of The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen in any way you can, and may Michelle Duca's work to keep animals in their homes motivate us all to do the same in our local communities!

You can read more about the Kibble Kitchen in this Post Tribune Chicago Sun Times article, and in  Portage Life.com. Visit the facebook page of The Porter County Pet Project and Kibble Kitchen and like it and share it with your friends. If you want to help the Kibble Kitchen out with a donation, visit The Kibble Kitchen website.

If you are doing anything like this in your community, please write and tell us about it!

The Kibble Kitchen Pet Pantry, Inc. is a non-profit organization working to help families keep their pets despite the tough economy.

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