One Health

San Mateo County Veterinary Wellness program offers exams, vaccinations and flea preventative to pets of the unhoused and those in our shelters. We also have some grant funding that allows us to refer some clients out to vet clinics for other issues.

We see a lot of dogs with skin issues/allergies. As you know, pet food can often be a real issue for allergies. Most of our clients get their pet food at the food bank for people and they just get whatever is available and don't have a say on the protien.

We would like to get donations of food that we could give to these clients (and others) and I have a question.

I see that several of the shelters repackage the food into smaller bags for distribution. And they also accept broken or returned bags of food. As a "recovering attorney" this scares me because, well you know, people. 

I wanted to get your opinions on this practice and if anyone has any suggestions?

San Mateo County Veterinary Wellness program offers exams, vaccinations and flea preventative to pets of the unhoused and those in our shelters. We also have some grant funding that allows us to refer some clients out to vet clinics for other issues.

We see a lot of dogs with skin issues/allergies. As you know, pet food can often be a real issue for allergies. Most of our clients get their pet food at the food bank for people and they just get whatever is available and don't have a say on the protein.

We would like to get donations of food that we could give to these clients (and others) and I have a question.

I see that several of the shelters repackage the food into smaller bags for distribution. And they also accept broken or returned bags of food. As a "recovering attorney" this scares me because, well you know, people. 

I wanted to get your opinions on this practice and if anyone has any suggestions?

------------------------------
Roxane Fritz
Veterinary Program Coordinator
San Mateo County
CA
------------------------------

We have a program here in Knoxville TN called Vets for Pets of Homeless Owners. @Jaime Norris, with the CAIT program at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, runs the program and can tell your more about it. We started the program in 2005 and meet under the bridge monthly to provide wellness services (exam, vaccines, nail trim, etc) and basic needs (food, leashes, collars, carriers, etc) for the pets of the unhoused. They sometimes break up the large bags of donated Purina food into smaller bags so that the homeless can carry it with them. Since a DVM must prescribe prescription foods (ex for allergies) for that specific pet, we can not distribute those types of pet food. 

There has never been an issue. They are grateful for the food for their pets.

------------------------------
T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity

Original Message:
Sent: 12-10-2024 10:51 AM
From: Roxane Fritz
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

San Mateo County Veterinary Wellness program offers exams, vaccinations and flea preventative to pets of the unhoused and those in our shelters. We also have some grant funding that allows us to refer some clients out to vet clinics for other issues.

We see a lot of dogs with skin issues/allergies. As you know, pet food can often be a real issue for allergies. Most of our clients get their pet food at the food bank for people and they just get whatever is available and don't have a say on the protien.

We would like to get donations of food that we could give to these clients (and others) and I have a question.

I see that several of the shelters repackage the food into smaller bags for distribution. And they also accept broken or returned bags of food. As a "recovering attorney" this scares me because, well you know, people. 

I wanted to get your opinions on this practice and if anyone has any suggestions?

------------------------------
Roxane Fritz
Veterinary Program Coordinator
San Mateo County
CA
------------------------------

At Vets for Pets of Homeless Owners (VPHO) we only give out Purina products to our clients and tell them to come back each month to restock on the food. When asking for donations we specify what products we want.  I know to some that may sound picky but that helps eliminate dietary issues when sticking to a certain brand.  We do sometimes break down the bags of food for easier transportation and we make sure to write exactly was is in the bag so there is no confusion to what food it is. To avoid breaking down the larger bags of food, we try and make sure that we have the smaller size bags (6 lb & 15 lb) of food for easier carrying or provide a bag to help with the food. 

------------------------------

Jaime Norris, CAIT Program Coordinator

Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

Original Message:
Sent: 12-11-2024 07:21 AM
From: T' Fisher
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

We have a program here in Knoxville TN called Vets for Pets of Homeless Owners. @Jaime Norris, with the CAIT program at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, runs the program and can tell your more about it. We started the program in 2005 and meet under the bridge monthly to provide wellness services (exam, vaccines, nail trim, etc) and basic needs (food, leashes, collars, carriers, etc) for the pets of the unhoused. They sometimes break up the large bags of donated Purina food into smaller bags so that the homeless can carry it with them. Since a DVM must prescribe prescription foods (ex for allergies) for that specific pet, we can not distribute those types of pet food. 

There has never been an issue. They are grateful for the food for their pets.

------------------------------
T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity

Original Message:
Sent: 12-10-2024 10:51 AM
From: Roxane Fritz
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

San Mateo County Veterinary Wellness program offers exams, vaccinations and flea preventative to pets of the unhoused and those in our shelters. We also have some grant funding that allows us to refer some clients out to vet clinics for other issues.

We see a lot of dogs with skin issues/allergies. As you know, pet food can often be a real issue for allergies. Most of our clients get their pet food at the food bank for people and they just get whatever is available and don't have a say on the protien.

We would like to get donations of food that we could give to these clients (and others) and I have a question.

I see that several of the shelters repackage the food into smaller bags for distribution. And they also accept broken or returned bags of food. As a "recovering attorney" this scares me because, well you know, people. 

I wanted to get your opinions on this practice and if anyone has any suggestions?

------------------------------
Roxane Fritz
Veterinary Program Coordinator
San Mateo County
CA
------------------------------

The Knoxville TN Knoxville Office on Aging's Feed-A-Pet program is very similar to VPHO, in that all our pet food is obtained via donations.  We also are very selective in the pet foods we accept and distribute each month.

FAP serves seniors only (60 or older) in Knoxville/Knox County.  We currently serve 115 clients, with a total of 188 pets, by delivering about 3600lbs of pet food each month to their homes. This feeds each pet in their home for a full month.  FAP requires that all pets are S/N and current on at least a rabies vaccine.  We also provide some veterinary resources, depending on financial donations for the program. The FAP program is also a social service program assisting the senior themselves with resources for their needs as well.

We also provide Purina products and size of bag definitely makes a difference.  Most seniors have a hard time lifting bags over 10lbs.

Because we provide veterinary services, if we were not specific in the foods we provide, the program would end up paying for increased veterinary visits due to dietary change.

We have lost many donors over the years based on our requesting specific or certain foods.  Up until around May of 2024, we always received enough donations to cover what was needed for all of our clients' pets.  Now we are having to purchase the pet foods in order to maintain the program's needs.  Unfortunately, this means we are unable to add any new clients. We now have a waiting list of 23 seniors with multiple pets needing help. 

There are other pet food resources in our area, but it feels as if everyone only wants to work within their own "silo" instead of a One Community, One Health philosophy.

------------------------------
Monica Brown
Knox PAWS and Feed-a-Pet Manager
CAC Office on Aging
Ross Building, 2247 Western Ave., Knoxville, TN 37921
PO Box 51650, Knoxville, TN 37950-1650
(865) 524-2786 | Fax: (865) 546-0832
monica.brown@knoxseniors.org
knoxseniors.org Facebook Instagram Twitter

Original Message:
Sent: 02-06-2025 11:19 AM
From: Jaime Norris
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

At Vets for Pets of Homeless Owners (VPHO) we only give out Purina products to our clients and tell them to come back each month to restock on the food. When asking for donations we specify what products we want.  I know to some that may sound picky but that helps eliminate dietary issues when sticking to a certain brand.  We do sometimes break down the bags of food for easier transportation and we make sure to write exactly was is in the bag so there is no confusion to what food it is. To avoid breaking down the larger bags of food, we try and make sure that we have the smaller size bags (6 lb & 15 lb) of food for easier carrying or provide a bag to help with the food. 

------------------------------

Jaime Norris, CAIT Program Coordinator

Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN

Original Message:
Sent: 12-11-2024 07:21 AM
From: T' Fisher
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

We have a program here in Knoxville TN called Vets for Pets of Homeless Owners. @Jaime Norris, with the CAIT program at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, runs the program and can tell your more about it. We started the program in 2005 and meet under the bridge monthly to provide wellness services (exam, vaccines, nail trim, etc) and basic needs (food, leashes, collars, carriers, etc) for the pets of the unhoused. They sometimes break up the large bags of donated Purina food into smaller bags so that the homeless can carry it with them. Since a DVM must prescribe prescription foods (ex for allergies) for that specific pet, we can not distribute those types of pet food. 

There has never been an issue. They are grateful for the food for their pets.

------------------------------
T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity

Original Message:
Sent: 12-10-2024 10:51 AM
From: Roxane Fritz
Subject: Providing Pet food for the Unhoused

San Mateo County Veterinary Wellness program offers exams, vaccinations and flea preventative to pets of the unhoused and those in our shelters. We also have some grant funding that allows us to refer some clients out to vet clinics for other issues.

We see a lot of dogs with skin issues/allergies. As you know, pet food can often be a real issue for allergies. Most of our clients get their pet food at the food bank for people and they just get whatever is available and don't have a say on the protien.

We would like to get donations of food that we could give to these clients (and others) and I have a question.

I see that several of the shelters repackage the food into smaller bags for distribution. And they also accept broken or returned bags of food. As a "recovering attorney" this scares me because, well you know, people. 

I wanted to get your opinions on this practice and if anyone has any suggestions?

------------------------------
Roxane Fritz
Veterinary Program Coordinator
San Mateo County
CA
------------------------------