The Alley Cat Allies and Animal Rescue League of Iowa team celebrate our successful no-cost cat food event.
On Global Cat Day®, October 16, Alley Cat Allies is calling on people worldwide to become cat advocates and join Alley Cat Allies to lead the charge to protect cats and kittens. We’re always proud to lead by example—and we just kicked off an exciting new initiative of our own in Iowa in honor of Global Cat Day!
Cases upon cases of wet cat food went home with Des Moines cat caregivers.
On October 11, Alley Cat Allies and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa held our first cat food distribution event for the indoor and community cats of the greater Des Moines area—with more planned in the months of October and November. Alley Cat Allies helped cover the costs of more than 26,000 pounds of cat food (that’s 13 tons!), all to be given at no cost to Des Moines cat caregivers.
Though the event began at noon, people were lined up in their cars as early as 8 a.m. to receive cases of quality wet cat food. Alley Cat Allies team members were on site to talk with recipients, share educational materials—and even meet some of their cats!
Everyone who attended the event had their own story, but at the core of it all is this important truth: Cats Are Community™ and, now more than ever, people need support to protect and provide for their cat community members.
A Des Moines resident brought their cat along to receive their no-cost cat food.
The COVID-19 crisis took a drastic toll, and people across the country are facing profound economic hardship. At times like these, without the right assistance, many will feel pressured to stop caring for community cats or relinquish their animal family members to shelters.
To help prevent such tragedy, Alley Cat Allies created our Keeping Families Together™ program to improve access to no-cost resources for cats from spay and neuter and other veterinary care to cat food. We’re thrilled to be working in Iowa with this life-changing program—and we’re not stopping at food support.
Cars lined up at the cat food distribution event.
Alley Cat Allies and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa are also planning a vaccine and wellness clinic at the beginning of November, and Alley Cat Allies is providing critical funding for more spay and neuter and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in the community as part of our Keeping Families Together program. We look forward to sharing more details and stories of cats and the people who care for them who will benefit.
As an international organization, we’re not stopping at U.S. communities either. Starting on Global Cat Day, Alley Cat Allies will also begin providing no-cost cat food and spay and neuter in the Cayman Islands. It’s just the start of our larger work to protect cats and kittens on the islands, where lethal approaches to cats living outdoors have become an unacceptable norm.
Alley Cat Allies and Animal Rescue League of Iowa deliver cases of wet cat food to Iowa cat caregivers.
Our initiatives have wide-reaching impact for cats the world over, and we can only do it all because of our incredible, compassionate supporters and donors. Join us to take action for cats on Global Cat Day and keep watching alleycat.org and our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for updates on our work together.