Page Title

"KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER"

We've all seen the headlines, (see excerpts below),
"Hard Times leaving animal homeless", "Pets in
Foreclosure", "Food pantries see spike in households
in need". Many of us, including our animals are
experiencing economic tough times. It is to serve
our animals, and their owners, that CoPAL has
initiated its Keeping Families Together project.

Keeping Four-Legged Family Members in their
Homes:
Families are struggling to feed their pets and keep
them in their home. Statistics show that almost two-
thirds of Massachusetts' residents have at least one
pet – mostly considered beloved family members.
CoPAL initiated a "Keeping Families Together"
Program designed to help families cover some of the
food costs of pet ownership. An additional byproduct
of this initiative is reducing the increasing pressures
on overwhelmed local animal shelters that have been
inundated with pets surrendered by financially
strapped owners unable to keep their pets.

Recently CoPAL donated 800 pounds of pet food to
Neighbor's In Need's food pantries. (See some of our
photos on this web site).
We hope through our efforts, and with YOUR help, to
assist pet families like an e-mail sent to CoPAL by a
local vet clinic about the owner of 4 dogs:

"I just had a client call me crying. She has 4 dogs and
cannot afford to feed them. I have dealt with her before and
know that her family is in a bad way. She is looking to try
to adopt out the youngest so she doesn't have to feed it. She
doesn't want her older dogs put to sleep, but doesn't feel they
are adoptable, and is having a very hard time. How can I
direct her to get your help".