By: Grace Dumas, News of the North

Organizers of Juneau’s 16th annual Holiday Pet Food Drive say community support is more critical than ever for families struggling to afford pet food and supplies.

The drive, organized by Grateful Dogs of Juneau, began December 8, and runs through December 14, with donation boxes at Petco, Juneau Animal Rescue, and the main lobby of Bartlett Regional Hospital.

According to Pam Nelson of Grateful Dogs of Juneau, the organization distributes roughly 1,000 pounds of pet food to community food pantries every month.

“We’ve seen the need rise every month this year to the point that even in spring, our first spring pet food drive, we actually ran out of food.” She said, “This year has been an especially hard year for people.”

Pam said rising heating and utility costs leave many families forced to choose between paying bills and feeding their pets.

“If you have to choose between getting your heating oil, paying your electric bill, which is going to go up higher because it’s so cold, we can help offset having to make the choice between whether you can buy pet food.” Said Nelson.

Larger bags are broken down into smaller four- to five-pound portions to serve more families. A single 40-pound bag of dog food can help as many as 10 households, Pam said.

“I love Juneau.” She said, “I’ve lived here for almost 30 years, and just the amount that come out for their community members is just awesome.”

Donation bins will remain available at Petco and Juneau Animal Rescue during business hours, and at the Bartlett hospital lobby from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday. Grateful Dogs accepts donations year-round and will arrange pickup for those unable to deliver items.