Can food stamps keep dogs and cats out of shelters and cut the euthanasia rate? That’s one of the questions being asked as a result of a Mississippi man’s Care2 petition for the option to use food stamps for pet food. To date, more than 168,000 people have signed this petition.
The Food Stamp Act of 1964 created the program that’s become a virtual lifeline for the un- and underemployed, children and seniors. Now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), it helps more than 40 million low-income Americans avoid starvation each year.
Recognizing that pets add value and purpose to human lives, and that people’s economic status can change in a heartbeat through no fault of their own, the petition—which was started by Edward B. Johnston Jr.—asks the Department of Agriculture to include pet food on its list of eligible items.
via Whisker Therapy