Humane Society program provides pet food for owners who may have fallen on hard times
Kit Kat is a fat cat.
Her home is in Fort Mill, S.C., at the Humane Society of York County, where she is up for adoption. She gets to stay in a room with her own special bed. Kit Kat doesn’t like being photographed, but the cat does like to burrow under the blankets.
Kit Kat also is the name of the Humane Society’s food pantry, which helps feed hungry pets across the region.
“The entire program is about helping people in the community who may be on hard times and they are contemplating food,” said Mary Beth Knapp, president of the Humane Society’s board of directors. “They can’t feed themselves, much less their pet.”
The society named the program “Kit Kat’s Cupboard” after the cat, because the society had to limit the amount of food she eats.
“She is a rather robust cat and she loves her treats. All of these things came out of why we called it Kit Kat’s Cupboard,” Knapp said.
However, the society doesn’t want to limit the amount of food hungry animals get.
The society’s Kit Kat’s Cupboard program takes a van into the community and offers food and pet supplies to people who are unable to afford them. The society also signs pets up for a low-cost spay and neuter clinic.
“We want to make sure that pets in a safe environment, stay in that environment,” she said. “Because a pet is far better off with the love and attention of their humans.”
She said the society is willing to help people feed their pets: “As long as we have the food to share, we share it.”
However, they need more places to park the van, Knapp said.
Even though the society has a few sites, it is still looking for places to locate, such as in Rock Hill.
“We are constantly looking for partners in this Kit Kat’s Cupboard adventure, so that we can bring our van on site and set up,” she said. “It would be a scheduled activity, and we would then bring food with us for the animals in need in that community.”
The society would set up shop once-a-quarter or once-a-month at a site, other than its location in Regent Parkway in Fort Mill.
“We’re just looking constantly for different locations where folks can come out and get some food for their pets,” Knapp said.
The society also has other needs.
Knapp said the society has plenty of canned food, but dry food is needed. The food also has a shelf life, which leads to a limited supply.
“We’re looking to have some assistance,” Knapp said. “If folks have extra food, even open food, we take it, we make sure it’s doesn’t have any bugs in it, and that sort of thing, but we will seal it and we will distribute it.”
Knapp said the society is just getting started with Kit Kat’s Cupboard.
“It’s right there in the pioneering stages,” Knapp said. “We have it once-a-month at our location, people coming to us, but that just doesn’t cut it as much as (us) going to them.”
Want to know more?
Visit the HSYC Kit Kat’s Cupboard Facebook page to get dates, times and locations of where you can get food and supplies for your pet or to sign up for low-cost spay/neuter.
If you’re willing to allow the Humane Society of York County’s Kit Kat’s Cupboard to park at your business site, or if you have a recommendation, e-mail Megan Prestwood at meganp@humanesocietyofyorkcounty.org or call the society at 803-802-0902.
The Humane Society is located at 8177 Regent Parkway, Fort Mill, S.C. 29715
