Animal Food Bank launches online auction

With COVID-19 restrictions hampering in-person fundraising efforts, Animal Food Bank switched gears and has launched an online auction featuring many local products.

The organization said it is seeing record demand and has already delivered about 30,000 meals to cats and another 10,000 to dogs since the start of the year.

"We're seeing the demand being incredible great. Two hundred families a month are requesting our help,” said Nicole Frey, founder of Animal Food Bank. “And we don’t we any sign of the demand diminishing."

Knit hats, silk ties, pet treats, gift cards, and Animal Food Bank merchandise are just some of the items up for bid.

Frey said 100 per cent of all money raised goes directly to purchasing animal food due to organization’s volunteer base.

“It really sets us apart to be able to ensure that people can feel confident about where the money is going and they’re are making an impact,” said Frey. “Five bucks is five meals for a cat and that really is the difference in that cat eating today or not.”

In addition to feeding pets in Manitoba, the food bank has raised over $26,000 in three weeks to help organizations helping animals in Ukraine.

Frey said mass evacuations have left many pets stranded and left behind.

“We know first hand that as much as it would be lovely it would be to send pallets of food, it’s hard to that even in Canada when we are dealing with disasters, it ways next to impossible to send to Ukraine and so money is the easiest way to donate,” Frey said.

The online auction ends April 2.

For more information or to donate head to the Animal Food Bank website.