Orange County Animal Services to Hold Drive-Through Pet Food Giveaway for Residents Financially Impacted by COVID-19

Orange County, Fla. – Orange County Animal Services is preparing to make available over 2.5 tons of FREE pet food at Barnett Park on Saturday, June 27, 2020 for pet owners financially impacted as a result of COVID-19.

“While we thankfully have not seen a drastic increase in the number of pets surrendered to the shelter during this time, we believe it’s likely to occur and want to proactively offer support,” said Diane Summers, manager for Orange County Animal Services. “Anytime people suffer a financial hit they are forced to make difficult choices, and for some it may result in having to relinquish a beloved pet to the shelter, which is stressful for all involved.”

Orange County Animal Services partnered with Hill’s Science Diet to obtain the food for this event, which totals 736 bags. Orange County is offering pet owners up to two free bags of food per household and is requiring an appointment for Saturday’s event.

The appointment link will be made available via the shelter’s website and Facebook page at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24.

Those with an appointment will be ushered through Barnett Park with signage and will stay in their vehicles to pick up the food. Shelter staff and volunteers will be placing the food in the trunks of the cars to minimize contact as much as possible. Participants will also receive complimentary masks and hand sanitizer.

“We would never want something as simple as food to sever the relationship between a pet and their owner,” added Summers. “If this event succeeds in helping to keep pets in the comfort of their homes it will be a massive win for both our shelter and the community.”