Pet food collection and distribution this weekend

It’s a give some, take some pet essential day in Folsom on Sunday as pet owners and lovers are encouraged to donate to a Pet Food Pantry while others will have the chance to get what they need.

The Pet Food Pantry is being hosted by Delco Loves Animals and the Alphabet Lane Child Development Center and the event is sponsored by John Sperduto and Rich and Lisa Small.

Spanning a four-hour block, the first part is for donations and the second part is for distribution.

How it works is on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. donations of pet food and materials can be dropped off at the Alphabet Lane Child Development Center at 1530 Fourth Ave. in Folsom.

Needed items include pet food, unscented cat litter, humane cat traps, clean and new or gently used blankets and towels and newspapers.

There’s also an Amazon wish list at https://tinyurl.com/5c74xymw.

For those unable to make the distribution or needing to enroll for the distribution, the organizers can be reached at [email protected].

From 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, those who have enrolled with Delco Loves Animals can receive donated items.

Applicants must be Delaware County residents and at least 18 years old. For each pet needing supplies, proof of spayed/neutered or proof an appointment to have them spayed or neutered must be presented.

When participants who’ve applied arrive at the distribution, they will be given a card. This card when presented with a valid photo ID will be good for six months at the Delco Loves Animals pet pantries.

The Pet Food Pantry started its first monthly collection and distribution in January. It evolved out of Delco Loves Animals’ founders Rich and Lisa Small’s concern for stray animals and how to care for them.

While that process continues and as Delco Loves Animals works toward becoming a nonprofit, they have organized these monthly collections and distributions as a way for the community to get involved in helping rescues, shelters and individuals who don’t have the means to care for pets and animals so they don’t end up on the streets.

The issue of stray animals has worsened in Delaware County since 2016. That was when the Delaware County SPCA, now Providence Animal Shelter, changed their mission to a no-kill shelter and no longer did animal control in Delaware County.

Since then, the issue has fallen to municipalities while many volunteer-led rescues are overwhelmed trying to pick up where the SPCA left off.

Various efforts over the years have failed to lead to anything substantive to address the issue.

In fall, the Smalls approached Delaware County Council for help.

The issue of stray animals in Pennsylvania rests with municipalities and the state. Since then, the couple has been having conversations with council members, mostly to guide them in their efforts.

The couple also brought animal advocates and community members together in a meeting last fall to start to try to root out the causes of the current situation to try to reach a solution.

As that continues to be worked out, the Smalls started the group, Delco Loves Animals, and wanted to help engage the community in being a part of the solution while helping overtaxes rescues and individuals with less means in caring for the pets and animals in their care. And, that’s how the monthly Pet Pantry collections and distributions started.

For more information, please reach out to Delco Loves Animals at [email protected].