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DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Over 2 million Floridians have filed for unemployment since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and organizations are trying to help as many people as they can.
Thousands are heading to food distributions every day as they continue to struggle to put food on the table, but Miami-Dade Animal Services and the ASPCA are making sure their pets are able to eat as well.
The organizations held their second pet food bank at Miami-Dade County Animal Services, located at 3599 NW 79th Ave., on Thursday.
“The response was so great in the first one that we decided to do a second one,” said Miami-Dade Animal Services Director Alex Munoz.
The distribution was set to start at 8 a.m., but vehicles were lined up hours before.
“This started at eight in the morning, but there were people in line starting very early in the morning — three or four in the morning,” Munoz said.
The community response today has been incredible. We are so grateful to give back to our community of pet owners who have helped achieve no-kill success every year since 2015. pic.twitter.com/B15HIs1kdX
— Miami-Dade County Animal Services (@AdoptMiamiPets) April 30, 2020
Gilda Nunez works at the shelter and said with so many people now unemployed, some families can no longer afford to feed their pets.
“A lot of people love their pets, and they want to make sure their pets are taken care of, and with the economy now and the situation of COVID-19, everyone is having a financial strain,” said Nunez.
Munoz said the need in the community is clear as they handed out around 40,000 pounds of pet food.
The food distributed will allow approximately 600 families to feed their dogs and cats.
“They’re just like, ‘Oh, we have four dogs, and I really need the food,’ and you know, it’s the need,” said Nunez. “It’s the need to take care of their animals.”
Some who waited in line were not able to get pet food before supplies ran out, but those people were given a card to reserve food for the Miami-Dade Animal Services and ASPCA’s next giveaway.
Those who would like to reserve their spot online to receive pet food at the next distribution can click here.
The date of the next pet food distribution has not been announced.
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