Keeping Families Togetherâ„¢
Supporting animals and those who care for them during the COVID-19 crisis
Since the early months of the COVID-19 crisis, Alley Cat Allies’ Keeping Families Togetherâ„¢ program has been providing food and other supplies to communities to help people caring for cats and dogsincluding caregivers feeding community catsthroughout the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
“Cats and other animals are an important part of the family, and especially during a crisis, it’s critical to keep families together,” says Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “By providing the food these families need, we can prevent animals from being relinquished to animal shelters.”
What Keeping Families Together Does
Through Keeping Families Together, Alley Cat Allies has donated thousands of pounds of dog and cat food and cat litter to communities across the United States. Many of these supplies have been distributed to those in need through local food banks and pantries.
All food and litter is given at no cost to recipients, with no income restrictions or proof of residence required. The result is that cats who live indoors can stay in their homes, and community cats can continue to be fed by good Samaritans.
Alley Cat Allies has also provided emergency grants to dozens of animal organizations across the country for food, lifesaving veterinary care, vaccinations and other urgent needs.
Why Keeping Families Together Matters
Food availability for cats and other animals has become a significantand growingconcern during the ongoing crisis. Alley Cat Allies recognized that with skyrocketing unemployment and financial insecurity, there is a major and increasing risk that people will feel they cannot keep their animals in their homes or continue to feed community cats.
Many of these animals could be brought to animal shelters, where they may be killedespecially cats.
Alley Cat Allies is committed to avoiding this catastrophe. As the pandemic continues to ravage communities, border-defying and ever-evolving, it is our priority to defend the lives of animals and the emotional wellbeing of those who care for them.
A Groundbreaking Approach to Saving Lives
Keeping Families Together has helped pave the way for the future of disaster response for animals. In our work during the pandemic, especially with Feeding Florida, a statewide network of food banks, we created a model in which community food banks expand their reach to provide food not only for people, but for animal family members and community cats.
Find Resources for Animals During COVID-19and Always
As part of Keeping Families Together, Alley Cat Allies has compiled information to help you provide for the companion animals in your home and community cats outdoors in this time of crisis.
- If you need local animal food assistance for your animals, search our Animal Food Bank Directory by state and by city. alleycat.org/FoodBank.
- For help finding financial resources, including spay and neuter assistance, visit our Financial Resources for Cats page. Please note: Some resources may be limited because of COVID-19. alleycat.org/Economy.
- Access guides and information on how to care for cats during the pandemic and read heartwarming stories about lives that have been saved. alleycat.org/Coronavirus.