Posted on 02/25/2013 12:16:16 PM PST by Responsibility2nd
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 can’t 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 organization’s 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. She’s 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 they’re thinking about getting rid of the dog because they can’t afford to feed it. It’s 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.
“Once you are a verified and approved member of the Pet Food Stamps program, our staff will place your pet food order with www.PetFoodDirect.com based on the amount awarded with your application approval and your pets needs,” the group’s website reads.
The Associated Press reports that according to census data, New Mexico is one of the nation’s poorest states.
~sigh~
Amazing.
/johnny
Well, the idea’s a little loopy. But since it’s apparently funded by private donations and not taxpayer funds, I’m not going to kick up a fuss over it. I’ll just chalk it up to another tell-tale sign of Obama’s utterly incompetent economic policies.
I like it if it’s privatley funded and administered.
It sucks enough to lose your job. Losing a close friend as well would make it a lot worse.
I don’t. I don’t like it.
If a private charity is subsidizing pet food to someone on public welfare, then that amount should be reported and subtracted from any welfare benefits.
The next entitlement.
Totally agree with the idea if it is PRIVATE donations.
I get tired of the ‘question’ at the check out line at grocery stores, Petco, Petsmart etc along the lines of
“Would you like to donate to________’
It got so ‘bad’ at Safeway that I wrote on the ‘store card’
“NO to ANY donation”
At the Pet Store the question was asked “Would you care to donate to ‘The Rescued Animal Fund’”, with my response being “THIS IS for a rescued animal(s)”
Bad enough you can’t answer the phone anymore, getting to be you can’t shop without someone ‘hitting you up’ which, in part, is insulting if you are already ‘doing what they are soliciting for’.
A jug on the counter? Fine...Just don’t ‘ask me’ —
I did ‘Give at the Office’ or at home or.......
Would you expand on why the idea is "loopy"? Because of hard times people are having to give up their dogs and cats because they cannot feed them and you think the idea of a means to feed these animals is loopy. I'd like to know why you think this idea is not a good one.
So if I give my own (private) money to someone who is on welfare/getting food stamps, you feel that should be reported and subtracted from any of the recipient’s benefits?
So my kindness/charity/whatever you will cannot go wherever I deem it, but instead I must have it offset public welfare?
Not sure I like that much.
While a welfare queen buying dog food with other people’s money is better than a welfare queen also buying expensive meats and fine foods with her own money - the premise is similar.
Not saying said welfare queen shouldn’t have a dog, but that is a nice, not so cheap option, and if any charity - private or public - can hand over $$$ that easily then there are questions.
I agree.....I see lots of people feeding their pets rice in Delray Beach, fl...they don’t have enough money to feed themselves much less the pets......I try to stop and feed the pets when I can. But, they are starving. I always wished they could get pet food from the same churches, pantries that they get their own food from.
Sorry for the late response, haven’t been on for awhile.
I can understand your viewpoint, and struggle with one of my own family members, who, while never on any public assistance, is likely only a few slippery footholds away from it. All because of personal irresponsibility, including obtaining animals (horses, dogs) she could not afford. Vet care, feed, etc.
I don’t know the charity’s vetting process (no pun intended). I don’t know if the award process is weighted toward those with therapy dogs, or cases like the one mentioned in the article.
While there are a lot of welfare queens out there and those who know how to work the system, there are also some who’ve just fallen on hard times. Should they be forced to get rid of a dog? I don’t know. Maybe. Should they go out and get a dog? No way. Many have gotten rid of their pets. Some animals are dumped, some are left at shelters who can’t handle to influx and it’s only going to get worse as obamacare impacts people, jobs, economy. Maybe the charities should be mandated to donate to the shelters instead of individuals.
But then, the freedom to do what one wants with the money they have earned is completely vacated. I’m sure that day isn’t far off anyway.
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