Two Gwinnett County departments have teamed up to deliver free pet food to seniors who receive home-delivered meals.
The program, run by a partnership between the Health and Human Services and Animal Welfare and Enforcement departments, began in mid-December. Blake Hawkins, deputy director of health and human services, realized that some seniors who received home-delivered meals were sharing the food with their pets and helped add pet food delivery as an option, according to a county release.
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“When we noticed a need, we worked together to act quickly so our seniors and their companions remain as healthy as possible,” Hawkins said in the release. “Our animals are like our kids, so not only is the health of our seniors important to us, but so is the health of their pets.”
The Animal Welfare and Enforcement department funds the program, which provides a bag of dry cat or dog food with each five-day supply of frozen meals. Of the 400 Gwinnett County seniors who receive home-delivered meals, 30 also receive pet food.
The county aims to increase the number of people who receive pet food and make low-cost vaccinations and veterinary care available, the release said.
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