Food pantries have been overwhelmed with neighbors and families in need. Similarly, pet shelters are also in need of support as they see an uptick in owners struggling to feed their animals or even having to give up their pets.

One North Texas pet food that’s in need of supplies is Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank in Fort Worth.

The nonprofit goes through about 35,000 lbs. of pet food every month, but as the government shutdown continues, staff expect that number to rise.

“There’s no shame in asking for help. The community is here to support you, and that’s what we’re here for every single day,” said Executive Director of Don’t Forget to Feed Me, Maria Koegl.

She wants people to know there are options to feed their pet and is asking for help from the community.

“There’s options to either donate funds, which clearly all nonprofits need, and we can buy pet food at cost. But if you’re someone who likes to tangibly donate, we have a network of donation locations where they can drop pet food off, and there’s an Amazon link and all those ways so you can ship it directly to us as well,” said Koegl. 

One of Koegl’s main messages is that she doesn’t want anyone to give up their furry friend just because of pet food insecurity. Reach out, and the nonprofit will find a way to help you feed your pet.