How everyday supplies are helping overcrowded animal shelters in Ottawa County
Organizers hope to collect 1,500 pet supply items during this year's drive.
WEST OLIVE — A simple jar of baby food or a roll of paper towels may not look like much, but for overcrowded animal shelters in Ottawa County, basic supplies mean the difference between life and comfort for hundreds of rescued pets.
That is why Two Men and a Truck is hosting its annual “Movers for Mutts” donation drive through Oct. 28, partnering with Harbor Humane Society to bring relief to the West Olive shelter.
The campaign originated in 2009 alongside the company’s “Movers for Moms” initiative, expanding to support local animal shelters each fall. Two Men and a Truck franchises select local causes to support, and the Lakeshore team has partnered with Harbor Humane Society for more than six years.
Organizers hope to collect 1,500 pet supply items during this year's drive.
“Last year we got over 600 donations and 100 pounds of dog and cat food, so we’re looking to double that number this year,” said Morgan Nelson, director of marketing and communications at Two Men and a Truck. “Each year we have our partners in the community, and each year we try to help and grow that number of partners so we can collect even more items for Harbor Humane.”
Harbor Humane Society is primarily seeking supplies for daily animal care. With shelters facing high animal populations and staffing shortages, organizers hope the campaign provides crucial relief.
“We handle all the logistics of the campaign,” Nelson said. “Anything we can do to mitigate the stress that they go through on a daily basis with shelters being full and taking care of those rescue dogs, we take that chance.”
Requested items include paper towels, Clorox wipes, kitten food, dog pill pockets, cat litter, and canned chicken or tuna.
Basic supplies help ease stress for shelter animals. For example, shelter staff requests baby food for animals for when their appetite drops due to the stressful shelter environment.
“Having the soft food is a really big reward for some of those animals, and sometimes that’s the only way we can get them to eat,” said Alayna Kelty, social media and event coordinator for Harbor Humane Society. “Sometimes looking at some of those items, they seem not so glamorous or not exciting, but there is a bigger picture behind some of them.”
Representatives from Harbor Humane Society noted that even single-item donations make an impact, as does spreading awareness about the drive through word of mouth.
Donation drop-off locations include:
- Grand Haven Chamber: 1 S. Harbor Drive, Grand Haven
- 317 Coffee House: 3424 Chicago Drive, Ste. 101, Hudsonville
- The Dog House Resort: 32 E. Lakewood Blvd., Holland
- James St. Inn: 255 James St., Holland
— Mallory Burt is a reporter for Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
