Pet food company donated food to Louisiana shelters

WellPet, maker of Wellness Natural Pet Food and Old Mother Hubbard, donated nearly 50,000 pounds of food and treats.

photo by Andrea Gantz
photo by Andrea Gantz

The catastrophic flooding that left parts of Louisiana submerged in water and forced thousands of families from their homes also left hundreds of dogs and cats homeless and in need of care at shelters and rescues. These pets were either separated from their families or displaced from another shelter, and while they wait to be rescued, it has been a major effort by local volunteers and rescue organizations to provide them with a temporary home and proper nutrition.

One such shelter is the Companion Animal Alliance of Baton Rouge (CAABR), which alone took in 650 animals during and after the Louisiana flooding. To help ensure these pets have the nutrition they need to stay healthy, WellPet, maker of Wellness Natural Pet Food and Old Mother Hubbard, donated nearly 50,000 pounds of food and treats to the CAABR and neighboring shelters.

Flooding challenges for shelters

The flooding has presented shelters with an influx of challenges: Sometimes the shelters know of a pet’s family, but aren’t able to locate them. Other times, families are no longer able to care for the pet because of lost homes or other flood-related difficulties and financial burdens. While shelter employees work to reconnect pets with their loved ones or find them new homes in nearby cities and states, they’re relying on donations to help meet the needs of the pets in their care.

“We’re so grateful to the team at WellPet for making this donation,” said Beth Brewster, executive director at CAABR. “We find many of these pets tired, hungry and scared, but because of WellPet’s contribution and others like it, we’re able to provide them with quality nutrition while they wait to be reunited with their families or forever homes. This donation will also be helping many other rescues.”

Pet food company giving back

The donation was made possible through the WellPet Foundation, which supports organizations and activities that promote natural nutrition and the benefits of healthy, active lifestyles. WellPet’s recent philanthropic efforts will help bring the benefits of natural nutrition to the hundreds of cats and dogs who have been displaced, ensuring they not only have enough to eat, but are getting the quality nutrients they need to stay active and healthy.

“When we heard about the sheer number of displaced animals in Louisiana, we knew we needed to do something to help,” said Chanda Leary-Coutu, senior marketing manager at WellPet.

The CAABR mission is to expedite the exit of animals from the shelter system by helping lost pets return to their owners, offering creative adoption initiatives, partnering with rescue organizations, and building an active foster care program and donations play an integral role in helping them carry out these efforts.

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