Wayne County Dog Shelter continues to operate pantry for pets

Wayne County Dog Shelter continues to operate pantry for pets
Submitted

The Wayne County Dog Shelter continues to operate its Pet Supplies Pantry to help those who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic to care for a family pet. Anyone receiving any form of assistance is eligible to receive pet food, toys, treats, bedding and dog clothing.

                        

The Wayne County Dog Shelter’s Pet Supplies Pantry program continues to help lift the financial burden of local pet owners who have lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services director Richard Owens, local unemployment claims hit a peak of 6,534 cases in April due to the state-wide COVID-19 quarantine.

Although jobless claims have been decreasing in recent weeks, those that are out of work may be experiencing financial hardships. Any resident of Wayne County that is currently receiving any form of assistance is eligible to utilize the pantry to receive dog food, treats, toys, bedding and dog clothing for their furry companions by contacting the shelter directly.

“We were trying to brainstorm some ways that we could help families with pets during this time,” dog warden and Wayne County Dog Shelter director Katelyn Lehman said. “COVID has really affected a lot of families and dog owners. We didn’t want those pet owners to have to worry about choosing between food for their dogs and providing food for their family.”

According to Lehman, the program has been a classic case of “people helping people.” To date, she has relied solely on donations from the community to keep the pantry shelves stocked.

“I haven’t had to solicit any help from businesses,” Lehman said. “People have been generous, and they continue to donate items. If the program continues to grow, I might have to solicit some businesses for goods, but not at this time.”

While there are primarily dog supplies available, Lehman said she has a limited amount of cat supplies on hand as well.

Enrollment into the program is quick and can be done in person by appointment or over the phone. And according to Lehman, enough supplies are provided to last a month.

“We just need to talk to the pet owner and determine how many dogs they have and their size to figure out how much food is needed,” Lehman said. “The items must be picked up during business hours, and we can set them outside for no-contact pick-up.”

Lehman said if a household is struggling to care for a family pet, call the shelter to see if any additional assistance is available, depending on the need.

The dog shelter is located at 5694 Burbank Road in Wooster, and the phone number is 330-345-1018. Hours of operation are by appointment Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For information about the shelter, pet adoption or the pet-supplies program, visit www.waynedogshelter.org.

Donations also are accepted; the shelter urgently needs heavy-duty toys, soft treats, large leashes and collars.

Dan Starcher is a public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.


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