Pet food donated to flood and cyclone victims (for their pets)

Queensland flood victims have been given a helping hand by volunteers and donors who have organised pallets of pet food to ensure they have enough food to feed their pets, even after they lost everything.  Its a reminder that while the floods and Cyclone Yasi are old news, the devastation remains in affected communities.

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Flood of pet food donations

Kathryn Greensill | 14th February 2011

Kayren Chapman and her dogs Mindy and Trident sit in front of some of the pallets of donated pet food.

Allan Reinikka

WHILE people all over Central Queensland opened their hearts and wallets for flood victims, wildlife carer Kayren Chapman spared a thought for our furry friends.

With the help of fellow wildlife carer from Bribie Island Sally Angel, Kayren and her partner Peter Kummerfeld set about organising pet food to be given to flood victims, to ensure they’d be able to continue looking after their pets.

“We wanted to stop the RSPCA from getting an influx of cats and dogs because people wouldn’t be able to feed them having lost everything,” Kayren said.

What started as a simple request to local businesses for help on Facebook became a huge operation as Sally set about getting some bigger companies involved.

Sally was able to enlist the help of Cornett’s IGA, Premier Pet Foods and Nestle and had around 20 pallets of food trucked to Rockhampton by couriers Followmont and Sanders.

“It was a tremendous response,” Sally said.

“I was just glad I could help out.”

Kiven Moring, whose home on Port Curtis Road was affected by floodwaters, was very grateful for the assistance which helped his family feed their two dogs.

“It was a big relief of not having to spend all that sort of money on worrying about the pets,” Kiven said.

“We could put that into cleaning up the house and the yard.”

Kayren said they had received about 20 tonnes of pet food to give away.

She handed out flyers to let people know the food was available and had a huge response.

“People came to our house and for those that couldn’t come to us, we delivered,” Kayren said. “It was a pleasure to help out all the people in their time of need. Each one of them showed their appreciation.”