New Haven food pantry for pets gets assist from Bethany Veterinary Hospital

By Bridget Albert
Register Staff
balbert@newhavenregister.com

Pets whose owners frequent the New Haven food pantry will be sleeping with full bellies thanks to a pet-food drive Bethany Veterinary Hospital held over the holidays.

A van filled to capacity recently delivered about 700 pounds of food, toys and other products for companion pets.

This is the third year Bethany Veterinary Hospital has held the food drive.

Diana Richter, executive director of the New Haven Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, said she was very thankful for the support.

“Bethany Vet is a standout for us. They helped us launch Thunder’s Pantry (pet food bank) and they are instrumental in keeping the pantry going,” she said.

Angie Reich of Bethany Veterinary Hospital said the staff there was happy to hold the food drive.

“Anyone of us could be there,” she said. “We would really like to see the shelves stocked year round (instead of just the holidays).”

Reich said her heart broke when she learned an elderly person was taking food home for his pet and not eating himself.

Thunder’s Pantry, the pet food bank, was started three years ago when volunteers noticed an increase in requests for canned tuna. They learned that much of the food they were giving out was being eaten by their visitors’ animals.

Richter said pantry visitors were feeding their pets before themselves.

The food pantry, which is open once a week, serves 250 to 300 people per week, Richter said.

She said that about a third of those also utilize the pet food pantry.

Richter said it is not uncommon to see visitors in line with their pets.

“One man lives in the woods because he isn’t allowed to have his dog in the apartment,” she said.

Bethany Veterinary Hospital said it would be happy to be a drop-off location for the soup kitchen. Anyone wishing to drop off wet and dry food, kitty litter, toys and other pet-related items may stop by during normal hours. The hospital at 782 Amity Road (Route 63) will make sure the animal supplies are delivered in a timely manner.

The Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen is at 311 Temple St. Learn more about the soup kitchen at www.downtowneveningsoupkitchen.com.

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