By: Christie Solomon
Dog-Harmony is proud to announce the launch of its new program, Paw Pantry, designed to support local families and their beloved canine family members. This initiative, an expansion of the non-profit’s “Keeping Dogs in Homes” program, will ensure that no family has to make the difficult choice between feeding themselves or feeding their dog.
In partnership with Caring & Sharing of South Walton, Paw Pantry will initially serve 15 families, with plans to expand as the program grows. “We currently serve an average of 850 local families each month,” says Caring & Sharing Case Manager Dani Aylsworth. “We are paw-sitive there will be room to grow with the Paw Pantry partnership.”
The Paw Pantry collaboration supports Dog-Harmony’s mission of preventing shelter surrenders by addressing a key barrier to pet ownership: access to pet food. Dog-Harmony will collect donations of pet food and distribute them through partners, like Caring & Sharing, to areas where they are needed most. This way, every bowl can be filled, helping to ensure dogs remain in their loving family homes.
Dog-Harmony Founder Nancy Bown, CPDT-KA, says, “We are thrilled to establish the Paw Pantry partnership with Caring & Sharing of South Walton. By providing dog food assistance to families in need, we prevent beloved family dogs from being surrendered to already overwhelmed and overcrowded animal shelters in our communities.”
In the past three years, Dog-Harmony has distributed more than 10,000 pounds of dog food to families in need. With Paw Pantry, the non-profit is building on that success and establishing new donation drop-off points across the community to make it even easier to give.
Drop-Off Locations
Community members can drop off unopened dry dog food at one of Dog-Harmony’s trusted community partner locations below:
- Berry Veterinary Animal Hospital (29 S Shore Dr, Miramar Beach, FL 32550)
- The Doggy Bag (34904 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Suite 126, Destin, FL 32541)
- Salty Paws Pet Boutique and Barkery at Destin Commons (4265 Legendary Dr Unit J106, Destin, FL 32541)
Acknowledgments
Paw Pantry wouldn’t be possible without the support of the compassionate veterinary partners in our community. The generosity of Kindness Pet Hospital, Capital Veterinary Specialists, and Emerald Shores Pet Hospital Resort and Spaw has already helped Dog-Harmony fill bowls and keep tails wagging.
Ways to Get Involved
Make a Monetary Donation
Your financial contribution has the most significant impact. By donating, you enable Dog-Harmony to purchase food in bulk at discounted prices, stretch every dollar further, and respond quickly to families in urgent need. Monetary donations also help us keep Dog-Harmony’s partners like Caring & Sharing of South Walton from being inundated with excess supplies. A $25 donation can feed a dog for two weeks, while $100 can support an entire family’s pets for a month.
Donate Unopened Dry Dog Food
If you’d prefer to give food directly, Dog-Harmony welcomes donations of unopened bags of dry dog food at its drop-off locations in Destin (The Doggy Bag and Salty Paws Pet Boutique and Barkery) and Miramar Beach (Barry Veterinary Hospital).
Spread the Word
Not everyone is able to donate, but everyone can make a difference. Help Dog-Harmony reach more families and keep more dogs in loving homes by sharing the news about the Paw Pantry launch with your friends, neighbors, and local businesses. You can also stay updated on the nonprofit’s news by following their accounts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dogharmonyinc, Instagram at www.instagram.com/dogharmonyinc, LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/dogharmonyinc, or by signing up for their Paw Print Press newsletter at https://dog-harmony.org/paw-print-press/.
