08/07/2026
We are celebrating 10 years of service this month. You read that correctly, its been one decade of pet food bank activities here in Cranbrook. August 5 2016 to August 5 2026.
We have also had 3 of our cats that long so its their celebration too, here are more pictures of our cats lol
Things were very different back then in 2016 and a lot has changed. We have grown a lot together with our community. People were confused and we spent a lot of time explaining. I think we are in a good place when it comes to having resources for people. It feels more stable right now. Im proud to be from here and proud of our work.
We have met and been able to help a lot of families in crisis. Stopped a lot of pets from being surrendered. Ill get some stats together.
But also-A lot of hugs and a lot of tears have been given freely to strangers.
I dont know if everyone knows what all goes into working with vulnerable people. How important it is to give compassion first and foremost. How desperately people just need to be heard. To be seen. So thats what we do.
We see you.
Sometimes its someone in disaster, but also its the families who lost pets. Who are losing pets. Who have lost family. Who are struggling with chronic illness or head trauma.
Being able to give grace and understanding is so important to this work and I hope if anyone learns anything from us its that helping people is vital. It's a mark of the progress of our civilization, how we choose to treat those in need, who can do nothing for us except say thank you. Anyone can end up in that position.
We are definitely more disabled than we used to be, my mom is very crippled up most days and mine comes and goes. Please understand we are doing our best and if we sometimes need time off its our pains decision not ours! Developing some chronic conditions has definitely changed our abilities so we are slower than we used to be lol
A few things have been very consistent over the years- Total Pet has been a huge support as has Cranbrook Superstore. Their reliable donations have literally carried us most of the way here. BC SPCA East Kootenay has always collected public donations and acquired anything they could for us which has been a huge help.
The public's unwavering support through every major hurdle in the last decade kept us going even when things were so tight and difficult to scrape together hampers! I only post when we are extremely low and the support we have received has been amazing every time.
The Paw Shop - Healthy Pet Foods and Supplies and Dog Power Sports have always pitched in too through all these years as has Kimberley Kritters Pet Food & Supply. Having the high quality food donations has been awesome for food quality education. Meant 2B Loved Pet Rescue came in a few years ago and has come in clutch many times with donations that we needed so badly, any time we have contacted them in need theyve been awesome. We even got a donation from Top Crop Garden, Farm & Pet this week!
Thank you thank you thank you to everyone :)
We are looking forward to the future ahead. We plan on doing this pet food bank business as long as possible, however long that is!
Our next goal is a new van to carry donations.
After around 50000 hampers it does need to be replaced with something safer. We have clients all over and many cannot make it to hamper day, thus requiring drop offs!
