Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando is hosting a Stock The Pantry campaign for the whole month of December. 

The nonprofit organization is devoted to the wellbeing of dogs and cats all over Orlando with their three locations in Orlando, Sanford, and Alafaya. They need the help of the community to feed over 400 pets in their care at the moment. 

“We especially need cat food at the moment,” said Cathy Rodgers, director of philanthropy and marketing at Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando.

At the top of the pet shelter’s wishlist on their website, they list their need for canned wet cat and dog food. The wishlist of over 20 items can be purchased through Amazon and shipped directly to their Sanford or Orlando locations or dropped off personally at either location.

“The work we do is important to our community,” Rodgers said. “Community support directly supports and helps these animals.” 

The Pet Alliance takes in over 6,000 dogs and cats each year throughout their two facilities while they maintain their no-kill shelter status. They provide food, medical care, low-cost spay/neuter surgeries, low-cost veterinary services, and pet food for needy animals in the care of senior citizens called AniMeals on Wheels. The facility does not receive any money from national organizations, such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the Humane Society. 

The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s Stock The Pantry campaign has a December goal of receiving $60,000 in donations. The shelter had raised $30,000 on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, through online donations and is looking to raise the rest before the end of 2019.

The shelter has a $2 million dollar budget in fundraising income to run the facilities, care for the cats and dogs in their care, and host events to raise more donations. The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando hosts two events every year; the Furball gala and the Paws in The Park pet parade and festival. 

The Furball gala of November 2019 raised $346,000, which is the largest amount raised in the event’s 28-year history. The next gala is scheduled for November 2020, when all of the proceeds will go towards helping the shelter rescue more pets. 

The Paws in the Park parade and festival is set for Feb. 8, 2020, at Lake Eola. 

“It’s a massive event and tons of fun, as well as a big fundraiser for Pet Alliance,” said Ilene Lieber, publicist for Pet Alliance and owner of Passion PR Consulting. “Fundraising is so important because Pet Alliance is not government-funded.” 

Lieber, who has been Pet Alliance’s publicist for two years now, chose to represent this organization because it’s different from other pet shelters. 

“A lot of people have a perception of going into a shelter and it being so sad, but I was blown away by Pet Alliance because it’s not sad,” Lieber said. “The facilities are so amazing, the staff and volunteers give the animals so much love, and Pet Alliance does so much for getting the pets adopted.” 

For more, visit Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s website at petallianceorlando.org.