Choppy Thoughts

I have always loved animals, and have come up with a couple of ideas over the years that I'd like to get set up sometime. I figured I'd throw the ideas out there and see what gets thrown back. Forgive me for run on/incomplete sentances, typos, and choppy thoughts. I swear once I write them out I'll creat another post that is more complete. However for your enjoyment I'll throw some cute pictures in to make you smile.

Pet Food Bank
I came up with this idea after losing my job. I love fostering animals but it's hard enough to feed my own animals let alone extra mouths. Two days ago I posted on craigslist that I needed some help with food to continue fostering and a recieved quite a few emails from people who are in the same prediciment as me. I recieved a few from people supporting the idea and spreading the word, one from a person with a very young kitten needing help (they are feeding it tonight, and yes I'll be picking the little bugger up in the a.m.), and one from someone who would love to help!!

So Liz, What is this idea?

A food bank would combine two resources together and allow an animal from the local animal shelter (PSPCA or ACCT) to be placed in a foster home. The one resource would be from a person who has the time and space to socialize,love, and train this pet but not the extra money to buy them food and litter. The second would be from a person who has the resources to purchase food/litter/KMR. Vet care is provided by the animal shelter

How would a Foodbank recieve donations?

People

America is a compassionate country and the people inside it love animals. I'm sure people would gladly donate food if it ment they could help save a couple of lives in the process. Of course we would have to do our part and send any donators updates on the animal they are helping save.

Pets Stores, Grocery Stores, and Large Chain Stores

All three of these stores carry pet food. If pet food in one of these stores becomes ripped/damaged/dented/expired the distrubuter gives them credit for the bag and then it is simply tossed into a dumpster. If this food bank became a legitimate organization those companies would galdly donate the bags instead of throwing them out.

Pet Food Companies

Well they make pet food and love to advertise that they help animals. I'm sure we could find a way that the companies could help us, and help themselves at the same time.


Flaws in the idea
Their is no garunatee how long an animal will be required to stay in foster care. How could the bank garuntee that the person would not run out of food and be forced to take the animal back to a shelter?
How would we judge who got what amount of food?
Would the person who is going to be fostering required to hold the surplus food? This is philly alot of people live in apartments and may not ahve the spcae for two or three bags of food.
Could we do this without increasing the already bigger workload of shelter workers?
Devils Advocate for a second- How could we prevent people from abusing the program? I know having them supply their financial information would be the easiest way of doing it... but it might scare people off.
How do we get it to expand? How does it even start?

Tommorow I will bring up the topic:
Kongs for Shelter dogs