Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jonesboro Animal Services is collecting donations of dog food to give out to the community.
According to a post on the agency’s Facebook page, this donation drive is part of Operation Santa Paws Month, which runs from Dec. 1-24 and encourages animal lovers nationwide to donate to animal shelters.
Mike Owens, adoption and rescue coordinator at Jonesboro Animal Services, said the agency often sees a higher volume of community members asking for donations during the colder months. He said the agency often sees 10-15 requests for pet food a month.
“We have people come in and ask if we have extra dog food to give them, and we love to have it here,” Owens said. “It’s one thing if they’re having a hard time feeding their family, but if they have pets, sometimes their pets may not get as much food as they need. So, we give it to them, so they don’t have to worry about their pets, and they can take care of their family.”
The agency is primarily asking for donations of Purina Dog Chow, as this is the food the agency uses to feed the dogs housed in its facility. However, Owens said, donations of collars, old towels, or any type of cat food would also be accepted.
Donations can be shipped via Amazon or delivered in person to Jonesboro Animal Services, which is located at 6119 E. Highland Drive. The organization’s hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While the agency takes donations all year round, Owens said donations for Operation Santa Paws would be accepted until Dec. 24. After that, he said, the donations will be distributed, with that information to be posted to the Jonesboro Animal Services Facebook page.
“We want people to take care of their dogs, too,” Owens said. “So, that’s why we like giving donations of dog food and stuff like that, so they can feed their dogs, keep them healthy, and also buy presents and stuff for their kids, or they just simply buy food for their kids.”