There are food banks across the province, but what is less known is that there are also pet food banks as well. That’s thanks to a program from the SaskSPCA. Spokesperson, Josh Hourie, explains that the program was launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic, understanding that if people are struggling with food for their families, they are also struggling to pay for food for their pets. The need didn’t end with the pandemic, so the decision was made to continue and grow the program.

Hourie says there are currently 20 distribution locations in 15 communities throughout the province. The SaskSPCA Pet Food Bank operates in Carlyle, Foam Lake, Fort Qu’Appelle, Ile-a-la-Crosse, Maple Creek, Martensville, Meadow Lake, Melville, Moose Jaw, Moosomin, Nipawin, Prince Albert, Rosthern, Saskatoon, and Swift Current. He adds, “In 2023 alone, we provided food for over 4,300 animals here in Saskatchewan. That’s 58,000 pounds of food that we distributed.”

One of the challenges for the SaskSPCA is finding space to store the pet food before it is distributed. Up until now, local businesses have helped out with temporary storage space.
That’s where PetSmart Charities of Canada comes in. They are providing a one-time $30,000 grant to assist with warehouse rent and other expenses. The funding is also being used to create educational pet health flyers developed in partnership with a local veterinarian, which are distributed with the food, and each provides basic information on things like signs of illness, microchipping, dental health, vaccinations, and spaying and neutering.

Hourie also thanks Mars Canada for its recent donation of 30,000 pounds of pet food, and stresses that donations of any size are always welcomed. Click here for more information.