Online petition calls for pet food stamps

Thousands of people have signed an online petition asking for government assistance to pay for pet food.

The U.S. Department of Agricultures’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides benefits to lower-income individuals and families who may not be able to afford food. That’s food specifically made for human consumption, not pet food. However, nearly 90,000 people want that to change.

“Don’t Let Pets Starve – Include Pet Food in SNAP Benefits!” is an online Care2 petition started by Edward B. Johnston Jr. targeting the Food and Nutrition Service and the USDA.

Johnston said he’s been receiving SNAP benefits for a few months, but he’s been unable to feed his dog due to government regulations. “Some argue that people should not keep pets of they cannot afford them, but the fact is that an individual or family’s financial status can change at any time,” Johnston wrote in part. He asks, “Should someone be forced to give up a pet they’ve had for years just because they hit a financial rough patch? Or should they be able to utilize federal aid to continue feeding their pet?”

Johnston added that for most people “pets are considered family, not property.”

At the time this article was published, Johnston’s petition stood just 200 signatures shy of its goal.

© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.

Skip to content