BUFFALO, N.Y. — A recent Lending Tree survey found that 12% of Americans say they’ve surrendered a companion they could no longer afford. Pete's Pet Pantry at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Buffalo is helping pet owners on the first Sunday of every month.

On the first Sunday of every month, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church opens its doors for more than just mass. 

“We have quite a few people who have fallen on hard times due to circumstances well beyond their control and they have cats, dogs, they have other animals,” said Elaine Richau, coordinator of Pete’s Pet Pantry at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Buffalo. 

This is why they began Pete’s Pet Food Pantry in 2011 as a continuation to their people food pantry. The pantry was started by the late Deacon Lucinda who went by Pete. 

“She found that people were asking for food for their pets," Richau said. "You know, an extra can of tuna for their cat or extra chicken for their dog. And she realized that there was a need in the community to help people who were struggling to feed themselves, but they also had pets that were very near and dear to them."

It's a need the church has only seen grow within the community over the last decade, especially with inflation since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“If pet food weren’t expensive there wouldn’t be a need for a pet food pantry, so I think it’s clear that this is to helping people to stretch their budgets a little further,” said Father Michael Hardaway, rector at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. 

“This is the area where we store all the food, we have donations that come in,” Richau said. 

Now through the help of donations, they are helping more people than ever. 

“In August this year, we took care of 139 people in 60 minutes," Richau said. "So it's grown times two, times three."

“It’s recognizing that people to whom pets are such an important and integral part of their lives, sometimes need a little help," Hardaway said."

The pet food pantry distributes without asking for an I.D. or proof of income. They are helping people feed their pets, and in turn, feed themselves. 

“There are many people out there who if their choice is to feed themselves or feed their pets, they’ll choose their pets first,” Hardaway said. 

“We want to encourage people and enable people and able to hold on to their animals and so this is one way we’re doing that,” said Richau.