COLUMBIA, S.C. — An annual event is aiming to help pet owners in need as well as the animal shelters in Columbia.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 62% of South Carolina households own a pet and despite the coronavirus pandemic creating lost jobs and income, pet ownership went up in the US by 10%.
A group of ladies in the Shandon neighborhood has been trying to help ease those costs and encourage animal adoption in their community for the past 13 years.
This time last year over 8% of South Carolinians were unemployed making money tight for many families.
“Of course you always have to support your animal and make sure they’re doing good," Amanda Taylor did her best to make sure her favorite companion-Luna was well taken care of despite the challenges of the pandemic.“I still bought her her flea medicine and heartworm medicine, bought her her food, made sure she was always fed just like I make sure I’m always fed.”
But many in the community need a little extra help. That’s why Carolyn McKenzie started ‘Fill the Red Truck’ on the corner of Heyward and Holly Streets in the Shandon neighborhood 13 years ago.
“I moved here almost 14 years ago and wanted to be part of the neighborhood and do something spiritually and benevolent," Carolyn told News19. She invited some of her neighbors to put together an event to collect items for the animal shelter in Columbia.
“It’s just the most heartwarming thing I think I’ve ever experienced. Even in COVID people have been very generous and loving," Carolyn says.
The donations directly benefit both the Columbia Animal Shelter and Animal Mission- a group that provides free or low-cost spay and neuter procedures for pet owners in the community.
“The amount of donations we get from it go a long way for us at the shelter," says Victoria Riles, the superintendent of animal services for the city of Columbia who along with Animal Mission helps sponsor the event.
“It allows us to support our foster program and all of the wonderful citizens that volunteer their time fostering animals for us," Victoria continues, "it also allows us to extend pet food donations to folks that may be in need, who are struggling during this time with covid, who may just need a bag of dog food here and there. So it really keeps us going, we get really busy in the summertime, we get short on supplies sometimes so events like this really keep us above water.”
Over the years, the red truck has taken in thousands of pounds of pet food and around $30,000 in monetary donations.
“You might be tired one day but the first person that walks up and gives you a bag of pet food… your heart just gets bigger by the moment," Carolyn smiles.
The event continues into Sunday, May 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the corners of Heyward and Holly Streets.