The Victoria Pet Food Bank is trying to recover after thieves made off with valuable donations.
On Oct. 12, program organizer Margarita Dominguez arrived at the storage shed to find they had been wiped out.
“We were violated…devastated, because this is the only reserve we have,” said Dominguez.
Fifty large bags of dog food, ten bags of cat food, along with pet clothing and treats were taken. The estimated total value is more than $6,000.
“We rely exclusively on donations, for us – this is just terrible,” Dominguez said.
The Victoria Pet Food Bank has been helping the city’s most vulnerable animals since 2012 by individually packaging kibble for its clients. It has gone a long way in meeting the growing demand – up 80 per cent since the program’s inception.
Justin, a Pet Food Bank user says: “It’s great, because there are a lot of dogs on the street. The owners aren’t working, and if they are it’s very minimal. Dog food is not cheap. This is a huge loss.”
The incident has been reported to the Sooke RCMP, but there is not enough evidence to move forward with an investigation. Instead, the hope is people will consider donating to the cause.
“They’re serving the most needy pets in our community, and as far as I’m aware, they’re the only one. They need the help of the whole community,” Alan Rycroft with the Victoria Cool Aid Society said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up with a $6,000 goal to cover the losses. Donations are also pouring in on the organizations website.
Dominguez is grateful for the support.
“This week, we are crying tears of happiness,” she said.
The organization will be hosting its annual Halloween Fundraiser on Oct. 29 at Clover Point.