As the price of pet food accelerates along with the cost of everyday grocery items, a holiday partnership between the Waukegan Park District and the Waukegan Police Department’s Animal Control Unit aims to help ease the burden for local families.
Each year, the Park District collects an abundance of pet food and supplies, which are donated to the animal control unit to care for dogs and cats and to provide pet owners with food or blankets they might not otherwise be able to afford.
“If a family loves their children and loves their pets, I will help them feed their pets,” Susan Elliott, the supervisor of the animal control unit, said.
The Waukegan Park District’s 15th annual Food for Paws Holiday Pet Food Drive is currently underway and ends Dec. 5 at the Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center in Waukegan to provide food and supplies for dogs and cats in need. It started on Nov. 17.
Julia Sanchez, a recreation supervisor with the Park District, said people can bring food or supplies to the field house between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. weekdays, as well as between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends.
Sanchez said she is noticing more donations this year than in the past two years, in which she has overseen the program. Along with the food, a lot of people have donated dog or cat blankets.
“I saw 30 bags of dog or cat food when I looked today,” she said. “There are a lot of individual cans, too. There are five garbage bags full of blankets. We have a lot of animal lovers in Waukegan, and they are showing their support.”
Sanchez said the food and supplies are collected to benefit Waukegan Animals Getting Saved (WAGS) which is the not-for-profit organization created to benefit the police department’s animal control unit.
Along with dog and cat food — any variety is welcome — Sanchez said eats for puppies or kittens are also requested, as well as blankets, towels, food bowls, dog collars, leashes, pet carriers, toys like chews or rawhides, medicine, first-aid supplies and gift cards for any of the requested needs.
George Bridges Jr., the president of the Park District’s Board of Commissioners, said the district looks for a variety of ways to help the community. People, as well as their pets, need assistance and this is an opportunity to help during the holiday season.
“This is a way to help our pets and their owners,” Bridges said.
Using some of the food and supplies for animals housed at the city’s no-kill shelter, Elliott said some of it goes to families in Waukegan who are not finding it easy to care for their pets. She wants them to remain where they are going to be loved and receive good care.
“I find 20 families a year to help around Christmastime who need help taking care of their pets,” she said. “WAGS helps me find the families. This is not for everybody. It’s for families who truly need it.”
