Houston's First Food Bank for Animals

Rescue Bank, Houston's first food bank for animals, is an example of what humankind can do with a bit of time, energy, perseverance, generosity and of course, donations.

How Did the Rescue Bank Start?

John Kane volunteered to help the Best Friends Animal Society find supplies after Hurricane Katrina which prompted discussions with partner, Elizabeth Asher. They knew that smaller shelters and rescue groups worked hard to save the lives of cats and dogs yet lacked the visibility that larger groups like the ASPCA and Humane Society have. This sparked the brilliant idea of creating a Houston food bank for animals based on the Houston Food Bank (for humans) model.

Three years later, the Rescue Bank is a success, but on-going donations are still needed. Read my article entitled Houston's First Food Bank for Animals for a list of just some of the supplies that are in demand. At this time, the Rescue Bank is especially in need of cat food, kitty litter, and air conditioning window units. And since the Rescue Bank is now accepting fresh meat, freezers are also being accepted.

So How Does it Work?

Asher and Kane lease warehouse space from the Alamo Supply Company (ASC) where supplies are dropped off and stored. An e-mail is then sent to over 70 registered animal shelters and rescue groups informing them of the latest shipment. If one or more groups are interested in that particular shipment, they let the Rescue Bank know and send over a volunteer to sort through, and pick up the supplies. All of the animal shelters and rescue groups have to go through a strict registration process in order to be qualified, and due to limited donations and supplies, there is currently a waiting list for additional groups to join.

Prior to leaving with the cat and dogs supplies, volunteers from the shelters and rescue groups are required to fill out a form that lists the exact amount of supplies they received (e.g. 50 lbs of dry dog food). Shelters and rescue groups cannot sell the animal supplies or donate them without prior permission from the Rescue Bank. It's a smoothly operated process that benefits cats, dogs, shelters, rescue groups, distributors, and even manufacturers.

Where do the Supplies Come From?

Supplies come from individuals, distributors (e.g. Kroger, Randall's), the Houston food bank, and even manufacturers. One company, Linens for Animals, in Plano, Texas supplies used towels and blankets from hospitals. All linens are washed and sanitized twice before being delivered.

Legislation

Something animal lovers should be aware of is the legislation that prevents manufacturers from getting more involved with the Rescue Bank. The Good Samaritan Law is a shield for the human food manufacturers, but there is nothing in place for dog and cat food manufacturers. Therefore, Asher and Kane (along with colleagues) are working on changing the legislation which will enable dog and cat food manufactures - and distributors like Petco and PetSmart - to distribute expired pet food (that is deemed worthy).

Right now, tons of pet food is being thrown away for nothing, but pet stores can help if they really want to. All they have to do is call the vendor of the expired food to gain permission to donate. If the vendor agrees, the pet store can donate to the Rescue Bank. It's that simple, yet stores like Petco and PetSmart continue to dump dog food because of this oversight in legislation and "corporate policy."

Areas Helped by the Rescue Bank

The Houston Rescue Bank does not just support Houston, Texas; they support surrounding areas like Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, New Orleans, and even southern Mississippi. Some of the freight is donated and some is paid for by the Rescue Bank directly, so you can imagine how costly that is. Please join me in making a donation to theRescue Bank, even if it's just a bag of dog food. No donation is too small. Because they are a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, you will receive a tax deduction receipt. Click here to visit the Rescue Bank's web site and make a financial donation via PayPal. Just look for the PayPal button to the left.

Ask your school, employer, or church to get involved with fundraising; or the next time you throw a party, request donations and supplies for the Rescue Bank instead of presents. Donations can be dropped off at the Rescue Bank warehouse located at 1331 Upland, Unit 4, Houston, Texas, 77043. If you have a large item that requires a pick-up, phone the Rescue Bank at (713) 974-0650.

The Future

With their trademark name, the Rescue Bank hopes to set up branches in Dallas, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they will be able to model and impose their high standards.

*Click here to read more of Bobbi Leder's Associated Content articles.