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DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - As thousands of South Floridans continue to struggle and face unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic, Miami-Dade Animal Services is trying to make sure pets are able to get fed.
Dozens of drive-thru food distributions are taking place across South Florida, but Miami-Dade Animal Services is hosting one specifically for pet food.
“We recognize the need for folks to take care of their pets during this time,” said Miami-Dade Animal Services Director Alex Munoz. “They’re struggling with just regular bills and all the layoffs we’ve heard about on the news, so this is a way to thank the community for everything they’ve done for us over the years and helping save all these animals.”
Pet owners headed to the Pet Adoption and Protection Center, located at 3599 NW 79th Ave. in Doral, on Friday.
The drive-thru distribution for dog and cat food began at 10 a.m. and was scheduled to continue until 2 p.m., or until supplies ran out.
Some recipients said they showed up at the center at around 5 a.m. to wait for the event to start.
“It’s not just for me but for everybody,” said pet owner Mario Lola. “I’ve got about 10 cats [and] one dog — that’s kind of plenty. I love animals.”
“I’m very grateful, you know?” said pet owner Luis Calero. “It’s great that they’re doing this for the community. A lot of people are losing their jobs, getting salaries cut, working shorter hours — it helps out. It’s a big help considering how expensive dog food is nowadays. I have two German shepherds, so it’s a great help that we’re able to feed our boys at home.”
“This is just a way of giving back, and I think the need is here. It’s shown by how many people were in line this morning,” said Munoz. “We decided to open an hour early just to get that traffic moving.”
The distribution was made possible thanks to donations from Miami Animal Foundation Inc. and Pet Projects for Pets Inc.
Organizers said they had over 600 bags of dog food to distribute.
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