Johel Ocegueda survives on disability and Social Security and lives alone in Pomona.
Well, not totally alone.
His two pit bulls, who he calls mama and papa, are his canine companions.
“I need food for my two dogs,” he said. But some months, his government check is barely enough to cover rent, utilities and groceries for himself.
“Sometimes I don’t have enough money to buy food (for the dogs),” Ocegueda said last week, estimating he was down to a three-day supply of dog food. That’s why, he said, he was heading to the pet food giveaway Saturday, Aug. 29, at Bethel Congregational Church in Ontario.
He and two dozen or so others lined up for free pet food at the event, organized by the church and community volunteers from across the Inland Empire.
The organizers gave away about 400 pounds of dog food and 200 pounds of cat food, said Donna Saxton, a Fontana resident and volunteer administrator of the Furry Friends Pet Food Bank.
“Some are barely paying their own rents,” said Bethel Pastor Sylvia Mann. “They are constantly having to choose between caring for their pets or paying their rent or buying their medicine.”
What started in 2009 during the Great Recession has continued, usually on the last Saturday of each month. A grant from PepsiCo, Inc. kept it going until the last event in January, Mann said. Saturday’s giveaway was the first during the COVID-19 pandemic, Saxton said.
Donations have fallen off due to an inability to personally advertise for donations with church-goers and hold fundraisers because of stay-at-home orders. The switch to emails and Zoom is not efficient for reaching the elderly and those pet owners on fixed incomes who may not have computers or Wi-Fi.
The pandemic has accentuated isolation, which can bring on anxiety and depression. Experts agree that having a pet helps with a person’s mental health.
A recent survey by the American Pet Products Association found that 72% of pet owners said spending time with their pets during the pandemic helps them reduce stress and increases their well-being. Many seniors say a cat or dog at home helps stave off loneliness.
“For some of these people, their pets are their only company,” said Mann, also a chaplain who often counsels caregivers at a local food bank. “If they had to give up their pet it would be horrible for the pet and bad for the person who would lose that companionship.”
Amelia Perez, 65, of Chino Hills, said it was difficult to pay for her own food and expenses, often leaving her short on cash to buy food for her two dogs, Dallulah, a dalmatian and Delila, a Chihuahua.
“They are my kids,” she said. “They are part of the family.”
Jenny Cisneros began showing up for pet food for her dogs in 2014, when her disability forced her to stop working and decreased her income dramatically. She began helping out shortly thereafter and also volunteers at other food banks, she said.
Last week, she began calling past recipients and reminding them the pet giveaway was back on.
“Some tell me they are in need, They don’t have family. They have a dog and they keep it like their partner,” she said Tuesday. “You know during COVID-19 it is someone they can talk to. Dogs just listen.”
HOW TO DONATE
What: The Furry Friends Pet Food Bank is looking for support.
Details: It accepts bags of dry cat and dog food, or canned food. Items can be dropped off at Bethel Church, 536 N. Euclid Ave., Ontario, near the parking lot off F Street.
Information: To ensure someone is there to take the donation and store it, contact caretaker Wayne Howell, 909-984-9111.
Source: Daily
