Councilman Robert Holden continues to look out for the pets of his constituents in the 30th District.
Holden, a well-known animal welfare advocate, hosted a pet food drive at his district office, located at 58-38 69th St. in Maspeth on Saturday, Oct. 22.
The event was held in partnership with the Animal Care Centers of NYC.
“Dogs and cats are more than just pets. They’re family,” Holden said. “It was a great honor to partner with [Animal Care Centers of NYC] to provide pet food to my constituents, giving them one less worry during these difficult times.”
The food drives consist of Holden’s office giving away pet food for both cats and dogs, reusable bags and other supplies to constituents who need assistance taking care of their pets. This Saturday, Holden’s office distributed only pet food.
“The pandemic has taken a toll on many people,” said Daniel Kurzyna, Holden’s chief of staff. “We wanted to help them get rid of some of their stress in how they can feed their pets.”
Since the pandemic began, there has been an uptick in pets being surrendered to city shelters, according to ACC’s statistics. Most of this uptick is due to people being unable to afford care for these pets, according to Kurzyna.
“It was great to see all the constituents and their furry friends,” Holden wrote after the event. “Thank you to the Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) for providing the food, and to my office for organizing. No one should have to give up their pet because of the cost of food and other supplies, as many of us still struggle through the pandemic.”
This was the fifth pet food drive Holden’s office has hosted and one of many pet-focused events he has taken part in or hosted in the 30th District.
