On Saturday, November 19, the Sacramento Cat Hospital will host its third annual pet food drive, benefiting Titanic's Pantry (the Sacramento Pet Food Bank). All donations of cat and dog food, canned or dry, will help feed hungry animals throughout Sacramento.

The pet food drive will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Sacramento Cat Hospital, 4115 Manzanita Avenue in Carmichael. In addition to pet food, donations of leashes, collars, cat litter, bedding, and other pet supplies are welcome.

"If a family is having a tough time paying the bills or feeding their children, they may not be able to feed their pet," said Dr. Billie Bensen Martin, owner of the Sacramento Cat Hospital. "This pet food drive is a great way for our community to help animals in need all over the city. The current economic climate means that the demand is greater than ever."

"The goal of Titanic's Pantry is to help keep pets and their people together," said Gina Knepp, spokeswoman for the City of Sacramento's Animal Care Services. "If we can help feed pets, people who are struggling financially won't have to give them up."

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 63 percent of all households in the United States have a pet. The 2011/2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey shows that the average annual pet food expenditure is $254 for a dog and $220 for a cat. Titanic's Pantry can help decrease this expense by providing cat and dog food as often as once a month.

Titanic's Pantry was launched in November 2009, when local shelters were seeing more and more people surrendering their family pets because they could not afford to feed them. Since opening its doors, Titanic's Pantry has helped thousands of families throughout Sacramento. Titanic's Pantry is 100% volunteer-operated and is sponsored by the Animal Care Partners of Sacramento, a collaboration of the City of Sacramento Animal Care Services, Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation, the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary.

The Sacramento Cat Hospital is a quality full-service feline veterinary hospital that celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2009. Three DVMs (including Sacramento's only Diplomate in Feline Practice certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners) and 16 staff members provide expert, loving care to feline patients. The doctors and team at the Sacramento Cat Hospital are committed to charitable and benevolent activities that make a difference for animals in need throughout our city.

For more information about the pet food drive, contact the Sacramento Cat Hospital at (916) 488-4161 or email info@sacramentocathospital.com.