Albany animal trainer seeking to fulfill dream of establishing a pet food pantry

ALBANY – With utility, grocery and gas prices spiking, many families are stretched these days. And while there is assistance available at area food banks for people looking to get through lean times, there is not much in the way of help for feline and canine friends who also need a bag of kibble or a can of food.

That’s a need that Albany animal trainer Kelly Smith is trying to address with a planned pet food bank.

The idea has been on his mind for at least a decade, started in part by a dog owner who took her pet through beginner and intermediate dog training classes while he was working at PetSmart. The dog owner was ecstatic after her initially less-than-enthusiastic dog learned the basics.

“When we went out for the walks, it had done so well the woman was in tears,” Smith said. “She said ‘This is my dream. I just wanted him to walk with me.’”

When he tried to contact the owner about the next course, he couldn’t get in touch with her.

“I found out through a third party – this family was middle-class and they lived in a good neighborhood – the husband lost his job and they were just not able to keep their dog anymore,” he said. “The whole idea I’ve been wanting to do for the past 10 years now is to set up a pet food bank. So maybe you don’t have to surrender your pet to the Humane Society.”

The trainer, who is licensed for obedience training and for service dogs, is a former Albany Humane Society employee. He said he is completing paperwork to set up the 301(c)(3) organization for the effort and has set up a GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kellys-pet-soup-kitchen-dream. He said he hopes to be up and running in September.

The donations are to go toward a building to house the food bank. In addition, Smith said he will apply for grants from animal organizations and pet food companies to help pay for food.

If successful, he may extend the effort to work with veterinarians to help find a way for struggling pet owners to get care for their four-legged family members at a more affordable price.

The tough economic conditions, including inflation, have made his dream a priority at this time.

“You’ve got people struggling with food bills, utility bills,” he said. “A pet food bank would be something that benefits everyone. (If) you lose a job, you have a healthcare crisis, what do you do with the cat? What do you do with the dog? Now you will at least have someone who can help you with the food.”