Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2009 > February > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPet owners short of cash get help feeding animals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You’ve lost your job and face foreclosure.
You have a couple of dogs that are like family, but you can hardly afford food for human consumption, much less animals.
What’s a pet owner to do?
Well in metro Atlanta, people can turn to Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen, a nonprofit located off Oakland Industrial Court in Lawrenceville. The months-old nonprofit provides food for animals whose owners can’t. The Gwinnett County charity is getting slammed due to the economic malaise. People from hundreds of miles away drive to its 1,600-square-foot warehouse to get a free month’s supply of food for Rover.
“Back in December, we gave away 20,000 pounds of dog and cat food,” said Tom Wargo, founder of the all-volunteer organization. “We got on Channel 11, so we got hit. Right now, we give away 8,000 to 12,000 pounds of dog and cat food a month.”
And there appears to be scant let-up as the year grinds on.
In fact, there’s such a demand for pet soup kitchens and related services that Daffy’s — which already has an Athens location — plans to expand across the metropolis. Daffy’s in College Park, located at 3699 Main St., opens Feb. 28. Other locations are under consideration for various counties and communities, including Marietta and Grant Park.
Wargo says more pantries are needed. He fields calls from across the country from animal lovers who want to start a charity and are interested in its operation.
“For what we do, there will always be a need,” he said while we toured the stock room. “But lately, people are losing their jobs and losing their houses every day. And they have pets. If they couldn’t get food from us, they’d have to turn [the pets] over to animal control or some rescue facility. That doesn’t really fix the problem. Instead of finding them a temporary home, we try to feed the animals at their homes so they can stay there. We’re working to keep families and pets together.”
To get the food, pet owners must adhere to some pantry rules, among them:
- They can only come for food once a month.
*They are required to do five hours community service a month at Daffy’s or some other charity.
- The pets must be spayed or neutered within three months if they haven’t been already. (Daffy’s refers clients to vets who offer medical services at discounted rates).
Rosie Hottum of Dacula sings Daffy’s praises. She lives on a dead-end street where people drop off animals all the time. “I have taken in six cats and had them spayed,” she wrote in an e-mail. “There are always at least 10 in my yard in the mornings, so it gets very expensive. That’s why Daffy’s has been such a blessing to me.”
Now about the name “Daffy.” He’s a mixed Jack Russell terrier that Wargo, who owns a construction company, spotted wandering around a job site a year or so ago. Now he’s the charity mascot.
For more information, call 404-345-6821 or online: www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com.
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By LT5000
February 20, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this
To all Illegal Aliens.
If you are low on food, please sign in at the Gwinnett County Detention Center.
Another Blubbering Badie non-story.
LT5000
By Regularjoe
February 21, 2009 7:55 AM | Link to this
Good article Rick. This is a growing problem and I believe your information will help out.
By Chris Broe
February 21, 2009 8:10 AM | Link to this
But what would happen if someone, like, brought their pet chimpanzee to Daffy’s for free food, and like, when the chimp found out he had to be spaded, he went like, berserk, and ate poor Daffy instead, and like, mauled all the volunteers, and had to be shot to death even, like?
LIke, Then what?
By nana
February 21, 2009 8:36 AM | Link to this
This is a great idea (and a good article Rick). My daughter (recently separated) had to give her pugs (2) to Pug Rescue last year as she couldn’t afford to feed them etc. It was very tough on her as they were part of her family. Fortunately they were much younger than most of the pugs rescued and were immediately placed in a permanent, loving home. This economy is tough and looks like it’s going to get worse before it gets better. This is a good thing these folks are doing.
By BW
February 21, 2009 10:32 AM | Link to this
Will Rogers once said, “If heaven doesn’t allow dogs in, I want to go where they go”. I think that sums it up for many of us, thanks for the link.
Chris Broe, remember that old saying, “Shoot first and ask questions later”, applies to apes and their owners as well.
By Chris Broe
February 21, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this
Shoot first? Yeah, that’s what the new york post did.
Notice the second shooter in the post’s cartoon?
Go where dogs go? Religion has followed science about that. Pluto no longer exists as a planet, (it’s a dwarf planet), and Limbo no longer exists for uncircumcised babies or unspayed dogs. (same thing?)
Like Will Rogers, my dog never met a man he didn’t bite.
Does religion imitate science, or does science imitate religion? We know markets imitate carnival side shows (the booths where they guess your IQ). We know Healthcare imitates butcher shops, (same white smock).. We know the Superbowl halftime shows imitates Vietnam (wardrobe malfunction/tet offensive).
We know….I know, U get the bit.
By Mark
February 21, 2009 2:06 PM | Link to this
Chris Broe Step away from the crack pipe….
By LT5000
February 21, 2009 7:44 PM | Link to this
After reading this Blubbering Badie sob story, how long before Obama extends WIC past the illegal immigrants and gives it to people with dogs?
He’s already getting rid of tax cuts and wants to raise taxes on business and the wealthy.
Has the Obama buyer’s remorse set in yet? He truly is Jimmy Carter part 2.
LT5000
By Chris Broe
February 21, 2009 7:57 PM | Link to this
Why does LT5000 have to sign his comments when he’s already identified in the “By LT500”. Is he, like, retarded? No, I respect special people very much. My brother is special. And I couldn’t imagine my world without his inputs.
But my brother does stuff like that. He signs his name all over his lunch box, and on the sandwich bag, and on the thermos bottle and on each snack. even the banana.
So, I mean, it’s cool. It’s all good, LT5000.
You go, girl.
Chris Broe.
By LT5000
February 22, 2009 2:36 PM | Link to this
Another moronic Blubbering Badie blog dies a merciful death.
LT5000
By Gandalf, the White!
February 23, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this
Can we get a real reporter in gwinnett please? This is stupid!
By Laura
February 23, 2009 1:00 PM | Link to this
Rick I know you must get tired of the people who bash you at every turn.
I, for one, appreciate the article. I emailed it to a friend of mine who is in financial dire straits.
Thanks again.
By weezy
February 23, 2009 1:56 PM | Link to this
Just an observation…from the article: People from hundreds of miles away drive to…. If you can afford to drive hundreds of miles to pick up free dog food I think you might be able to save a few bucks on gas and BUY your own d@mn dogfood. It reminds me of people that drive across town to save 4 cents on a gallon of gas!!
By nana
February 24, 2009 8:59 AM | Link to this
Good point weezy but I still think it’s a good idea for local folks.
By weezy
February 24, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
NANA…point taken and I agree
By Badie
February 24, 2009 11:08 AM | Link to this
Laura: You’re welcome. Have a great day.