A donation to a foodbank usually prompts the mind to conjure images of canned goods and nonperishables for adults and children.
Not so on Thursday at the Dayton Foodbank.
Six members of the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio delivered more than 1,100 pounds of food — for pets.
Lee Lauren Truesdale, with the Foodbank, said the pet food is one of the most needed donations the Foodbank will receive this year.
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“We hear a lot of clients who can’t afford to feed themselves, can’t afford to feed their pets as well,” Truesdale told News Center 7’s Adam Marshall on Thursday. “Unfortunately that results in people giving pets human food, which is not healthy for the pet.”
Katelyn Scott, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio spokeswoman, said one of the area troops in April participated in a STEM academy sponsored by Jet.com, Always, P&G and Walmart.
As part of that program, the troop began a “Take Action” project to provide animal food to community food banks that either do not supply animal food or lack having enough animal food to meet the need.
Scott said the troop solicited donations of pet food and resealable bags from community retailers. Then they repackaged dog and cat food into smaller portions to distribute to local pantries.
The Girl Scouts in the project delivered the donations to the Dayton Foodbank, 56 Armor Place, on Thursday, Scott said.