ORLANDO, Fla. — Drivers began to line up at 9 a.m., three hours ahead of time.


What You Need To Know

  • Orange County Animal Services gives away 3 tons of donated pet food

  • The event targeted those struggling from the effects of the pandemic

  • Worker: Some might have otherwise considered giving up their pets

“Some of them said they barely had enough gas to come out here,” Kristin Tsukamoto said.

And they returned home with enough food for their pets through perhaps the holidays.

Orange County Animal Services on Wednesday distributed more than three tons of donated pet food in less than two hours in a giveaway that Mayor Jerry Demings said aimed to keep people and pets together.

The event targeted people and families who are struggling from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Recipients were “very appreciative,” said Tsukamoto, a program manager for Orange County Animal Services. “We had a lot of people telling us that had it not been for our event today, they would have been forced to consider giving up their pets.”

The giveaway at Orlando’s South Econ Recreation Center happened with the help of three sponsors — Paul Wean and Joan Reines, founders of Pawsitive Shelter Photography; the Don Mealey family of Central Florida car dealerships; and Hill's Science Diet.

In a drive-thru event that promoted social distancing, staffers and volunteers loaded cars with adult cat food, kitten food, adult dog food, small bites dog food, and cases of wet dog food. Each recipient could select up to two items — enough to feed one pet for perhaps a month, estimated Diane Summers, manager of Orlando County Animal Services.

At around 1 p.m., about hour after the event started, vehicles snaked for the equivalent of blocks around the park’s entrance to the distribution point outside the Orlando Magic Recreation Center. Some featured a dog in a driver’s lap, playfully barking at a passerby.

Dog owners had claimed all of the adult dog food by that point. Ninety minutes into the event, only a bit of cat food remained.

“We’re trying to impact as many families as possible,” Tsukamoto said, “but we know there still are families that go without.”

Orange County Animal Services gave away several hundred bags of pet food during a similar event in June. Summers, the animal services manager, said she foresees another event if enough sponsors continue to participate.

Don Mealey, of Central Florida auto dealerships including Subaru, said Subaru encourages dealers to contribute to animal causes, prompting him to contact Summers.

“That’s how we got involved,” he told Spectrum News 13, “and frankly we intend to stay involved.”

Staff members and volunteers can attest to the need. Volunteer Kelly Davis said she saw Wednesday a pet food recipient “who clearly lived in her car with her dog.”

She expressed sadness about that but appreciation for the event.

“It was really a blessing to see,” she said. “It was great to see community come together like that.”