It all started with a picture of a kitten sitting on an empty shelf.
On Nov. 3, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter posted a plea for donations to its pet pantry, citing an uptick in requests for supplies due to the federal government shutdown.
Within 24 hours, every item on the shelter’s Amazon wish list was purchased. Less than a week later, staff at the Michael R. Frey Campus on West Ox Road and the Lorton Campus were sorting through dozens of new arrivals.
“This was an exceptional and a significant response,” said Lauren Krzywicki, who manages the shelter’s Pet Resource Center.
It also couldn’t have come at a better time, she added.
Recently, the shelter has “started seeing more people” noting within their requests for assistance “that they were furloughed government workers that needed assistance,” Krzywicki says.
In October, need was at an all-time high, with the resource center assisting 525 pets and distributing 8,782 pounds of food. During a typical month, the center serves 380 pets and distributes about 6,500 pounds of food, Krzywicki said.
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Around Fairfax County, many are working to make sure that pets stay fed as many government employees enter another week without a full paycheck — and as low-income families face the prospect of significantly reduced food stamp benefits this week.
Britepaths, a nonprofit that serves over 8,000 families in Northern Virginia every month, just added pet food to its SNAP Gap Food Pantry at the end of September. While the update was years in the making, the timing couldn’t have been better, said Abra Kurt, director of Britepaths.
Kurt said she was concerned about recent reports of more pets being given up for adoption because of economic insecurity.
“When families are food insecure and financially insecure, children can feel those things. They can tell when something’s wrong at home,” Kurt said. “Then, on top of it, to have a family in those terribly challenging situations be in a position where they also have to surrender a beloved family pet because they can’t afford to feed them — that is further traumatizing young children in the family.”
For Britepaths, the pantry is not only about expanding access to food, it’s about “keeping families whole,” Kurt said.
With the expansion, community members “showed up in all kinds of really heartfelt and touching ways,” she said. “We had donors who were donating in memory of pets that they had lost. We had people donating who aren’t able to have pets in their current living situation, but are huge animal lovers and wanted to do something to help the community.”
Seven hundred pounds of dog and cat food were donated during a “Stuff the Bus” food drive in September, Kurt noted.
Local businesses are also trying to help fill the gap. For the second year, the Fairfax location of Pet Evolution (3903 Fair Ridge Drive, Suite F) is collecting toys and food for the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, and offering a 10% discount to those who donate toys or food the same day.
“It’s an honor to be able to provide for them,” said Kara Claudilo, the store manager. “People are having to make some tough decisions.
Pet Evolution is collecting donations for local food pantries at all of its stores through Nov. 30, though the Fairfax location is the only one in the D.C. region.
Krzywicki, the shelter program director, said that she was grateful for the recent community response — but hopes people will remember the need even after the shutdown resolves.
“While we deeply appreciate the support here, this exact scenario happens to the families that we serve year round, every year,” Krzywicki said. “…This dynamic happens to a lot of folks in Fairfax County.”
