By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Though the pet-food pantry organized by the Halfway Home Pet Rescue was closed for about two weeks earlier this month, volunteers announced that it re-opened last Thursday with extra measures in place to make certain that persons who truly need assistance feeding their pets can get it.
Individuals were reportedly abusing the pantry’s honor system of operation by taking all the pet food and leaving none for others in need of help feeding their pets. Because of the abuse, individuals who need the pet-food pantry’s assistance will have to fill out an application, a measure that volunteers have found has been well received by those who need help feeding their pets.
“For anyone in real need, please know that we want to help you,” explained HHPR President Norma Milton. “But they need to help us ensure that people misusing the program are denied.”
Milton said that individuals were seen visiting the pantry locations multiple times a day and filling their car with free pet-food each time.
“[The pet-food pantry] is meant to be a help during a bad time; it’s not meant to be a continuous supplement,” she added.
Aside from supplying the pet food pantry, which is also supported by community donations, HHPR helps provide food for approximately 10 families of shut-ins and the hungry mouths of about 45 spayed and neutered barn cats that were too wild to be placed into homes.
Milton described how the pet-food pantry was intended to help people like senior citizens who were having to choose between buying medicine or buying pet food. The pantry had been running out of food frequently because, as HHPR volunteers observed, those who were not in need were taking all the food.
“The pantry is to protect the animals, help the animals and help as many animals as we can,” Milton said. “People will now have to apply, but we will do our best to help those people with a real need.”
To obtain an application, individuals can call 492-1722 and leave a message including their name and address so that volunteers can mail applications out.
