The Pet Food Bank Home Page

In 1993, Renee Carleton started volunteering for Friends For Pets Foundation (Weimaraner Rescue). She helped transport dogs and do home visits for potential adoptive families. She quickly learned of the difficulties an animal rescue faced. Besides the daily care of the animals, the incoming donations didn’t always cover vet bills and food. She began to look for ways to reduce the cost of buying food. Renee found out the many stores were destroying damaged bags of food. The warehouses did not want to keep it around, and they had no one to pick it up. She began to pick up food in her car. Within a year, the car was too small. The amount of donated food began to increase. She borrowed trucks from friends, and started sharing some of the food with other rescues. The amount continued to grow. What was once was a carload, quickly became a truckload (as in 18-wheeler truckload). Transportation services were needed, a forklift, warehouse space, and volunteers. Fortunately, she has been successful in getting these services donated. Last week alone, TPFB received over 80,000 lbs. of pet food.

Food is not the only items she was collecting. Many of the rescues need crates, collars, leashes, and medical supplies. Renee found sources to donate these items. That source also brought in supplies for guinea pigs, hamsters, bunnies, birds, turtles, and reptiles. Renee contacted local schools to donate these items for the classroom pets. At last count, TPFB was supplying three local school districts.