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Scooby SNAPs: New York organization offers Pet Food Stamps
By Caroline May
02/24/2013
The number of people in America on Food Stamps remains at an all-time high, and now a new program is allowing Fido, Garfield and their peers to get in on the goods.
While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program administered by the states, Pet Food Stamps is a New York-based nonprofit that helps pet owners who cant afford to support their animal friends.
The Pet Food Stamps program has been created to fill the void in the United States Food Stamp program which excludes the purchase of pet food and pet supplies. In these rough economic times, many pet owners are forced to abandon their beloved pet to the ASPCA, North Shore Animal League or other animal shelters due to the inability to pay for their basic food supply and care, the organizations website explains.
KRQE-TV13 in Albuquerque, N.M. reports that founder Marc Okon launched the organization two weeks ago, already attracting more than 12,000 requests for assistance.
Okon explained to KVIA-TV7 in Las Cruces, N.M. that he created the program to help those in need feed their pets.
I received a letter from a woman who is on food stamps, Okon said. She lost her job recently. Shes a single mother of a severely disabled young boy, and she said his only companion and his only mode of communication is with the family dog and theyre thinking about getting rid of the dog because they cant afford to feed it. Its people like that that this program is aimed to help.
Applicants who qualify for assistance through the Pet Food Stamps program are helped through the independent retailer PetFoodDirect.
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Read more:
Scooby SNAPs: New Mexico organization offers 'Pet Food Stamps' | The Daily Caller
