Petfood bank need grows as economy gets worse

The economic situation has worsened for many Americans, contributing to a growing need for more pet food banks in order to keep up with demands for pet food from struggling pet owners, says an article from USA Today. 

The number of animals at shelters and rescues has escalated along with euthanasia rates, while rescue groups struggle to take in and feed the many animals being relinquished. As a result, more pet pantries are emerging and shelters are working to temporarily provide free food to pet owners in financial need who would otherwise be forced to give up their pet. The need for pet food is so great that even some human food pantries are stocking pet food.
Petfood pantry owners, like Ann King of Save Our Pets Food Bank, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, are working more to get petfood donations and distribute those to pet owners who need it most.
"Many people out there imagine the pet crisis has passed," King says. "It most certainly has not. It was dire before, and it has gotten worse."  
King is also part of an alliance, Rescue Bank, that was formed to give other pet food bank owners a chance to come together and strategize ways to get more food, primarily from petfood manufacturers who regularly throw out soon-to-expire or rebranded food. Rescue Bank has already set up 25 distribution partners in several states to allow the group to get the pet food to more places, more frequently, and the group is working toward a goal of 100 partners in the next two years.
In five months, more than 500 non-profit animal welfare and social service agencies have received petfood, and King predicts as many as 750 will receive food and supplies by the end of the year.