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There are many benefits to owning a pet. In addition to the love and comfort they provide, studies by the American Heart Association Institute have shown that pets reduce anxiety, depression and stress. People with pets have lower blood pressure and make fewer visits to doctors’ offices. Heart attack patients live longer with a pet. Studies at the University of California Davis show that caring for a pet can boost morale, optimism and a sense of self-worth.
Many low-income people, especially seniors living alone, may struggle to provide food for their pets. Meals on Wheels in Spokane County discovered that many of their clients were sharing their meals with their pets, depriving themselves of much-needed nutrition. Now they provide pet food to clients.
In 2018, Tony Blount started the West Plains Angels, which supports the Golden Wings Mobile Pet Food Pantry. They provide pet food, treats and leashes to many local food banks, whose clients can obtain these items for their pets.
Organizations currently supporting this effort to provide pet food to local Food Banks include the Boy Scouts, Fairchild Air Force Base, and the VFW. In order to continue this service and expand the areas they serve, they need local organizations to support this effort as well as volunteers to make deliveries.
The West Plains Angels are on Facebook, www.west-plains-angels.square.site/ They are a 501 c 3 non-profit.
Tony can be reached at 509-855-2618. You can also contact Chandra Mattausch at 509-990-5959 or call her at [email protected].
Please help your low-income neighbors share their love for their pets, but not their food.
-Bon Wakabayashi
Spokane
