FORT MYERS, Fla. — The safer-at-home order has taken a toll on many pet families across Southwest Florida.
With the recent economic impacts of the coronavirus, Gulf Coast Humane Society says they're doing their best to help struggling pet owners.
It's with their food program, Pet Food for Furever Families.
Lately, the humane society has been working in conjunction with Community Cooperative at food distribution sites across the area.
Just this month, GCHS has supplied up to 600 pounds of pet food at each of the 13 mobile food pantries they've helped.
They say a lot of it is thanks to people's generosity, who donated food to help other local families feed their pets.
“UPS and Amazon trucks would make three or four visits a day with a lot of the pet food. People would drop it off too, so it’s been a remarkable month as far as the pet donations. People really did care about other people’s pets," said Brian Wierima, with Gulf Coast Humane Society.
Tuesday, they will be at a mobile pantry site at Veterans Park in Lehigh from 3-5 p.m.
People are encouraged to get there early due to car lines getting long.
As for GCHS's animal shelter operations, they're still open for adoptions by appointment only.
They say there's currently 250 pets in the shelter available for adoption.
One of them is a 10-year-old terrier mix named Carla that they hope gets adopted soon.
“I love my senior animals because they are very appreciative when they know they’re going to a forever home. There’s lots of life left in Carla. Being a 10-year-old, I think just a nice, quiet home would be good and she’ll give lots of love," said Wierima.
GCHS says they're thankful for the response in foster help they've received this month.
They currently have 116 local foster homes signed up and caring for their pets.
The humane society is still looking for adopters and fosters. They say once the safer-at-home order is lifted, many new fosters will have to return to work.
For more information on adopting or fostering at the Gulf Coast Humane Society, click here.
For all GCHS COVID-19 updates and ways to help donate, click here.
