A brand new meals pantry will launch on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles Monday, however this one is totally different as a result of it’s devoted completely to offering free meals for the dogs and cats of unhoused pet house owners.
The pantry is the brainchild of Dr. Kwane Stewart, a San Diego-based veterinarian who over some 12 years of offering free medical companies to the animals of the unhoused on Skid Row and all through California has turn out to be referred to as “The Street Vet.”
For that work, Stewart is a Top 10 finalist for the 2023 CNN Hero of the Year Award, to be introduced Dec. 10.
Located on the Skid Row Community Refresh Spot at 544 Towne Ave., “The Dog Food Pantry” will allow pet house owners who’re unhoused or struggling financially to take the meals they want for his or her animal companions — offering “adequate, consistent nutrition” for pets’ complete well being, in response to Stewart.
While it’s formally referred to as The Dog Food Pantry, it would additionally present meals to assist feed the cats of Skid Row.
“The Dog Food Pantry was conceived out the simple, years-long observation that unhoused pets needed to eat better and more consistently,” mentioned the 53-year-old Stewart, who has offered free veterinary companies all through California — and is planning an enlargement subsequent month into New York City.
“I’ve provided free medical services for so long but had neglected the fact that nutrition is key to total health,” he informed City News Service. “Richard, once an unhoused veteran that I’ve formed a friendship with, helped me build out the first pantry in my garage.”
According to Stewart, whereas there are companies that may come by Skid Row with pet meals, it’s normally on a haphazard schedule — and in the meantime, “in between, the dogs are eating their owners’ food or scrounging from the streets. Consistency is key.”
Since January 2022, Stewart’s nonprofit, Project Street Vet, has been aided by Fetch Pet Insurance by a program referred to as “101 Donations.” Through the tip of this yr, Fetch Pet will match each donation as much as $101,000 to assist fund Project Street Vet endeavors.
“The 101 Donations Campaign has been a monumental success,” mentioned Stewart.
“Our growth the past two years because of this effort has exploded. With the additional resources we’ve been able to nearly triple the pets we’ve cared for. Since myself and all of my talented veterinarians and nurses in other cities volunteer their time, we can stretch a dollar.”
Stewart’s mission to assist the pets of these in want started in 2011, because the U.S. was nonetheless rising from the nice recession of 2008-2009.
He’d been the County Veterinarian in Stanislaus County in northern California, and was seeing increasingly more surrendered pets filling his overcrowded shelter. Many wanted to be euthanized — anathema to why he turned a vet.
“I’m seeing hordes of unwanted pets dropped off, people who don’t have the money to feed them or care for them medically,” Stewart informed CNN. “It started to steal a part of my soul. I thought about leaving the veterinary profession altogether.”
From these emotions, Project Street Vet was born.
While the brand new Los Angeles Dog Food Pantry is Stewart’s latest reachout to assist the animal companions of these in want, it’s hardly his first effort within the space.
Last December, he teamed with the HolistaPet firm for one among his Skid Row pet clinics. It drew the eye of quite a few native media retailers, and ultimately he appeared on NBC’s “Today” present and obtained a nomination for the CNN 2023 Hero of the Year award.
Stewart even obtained a name from a Hollywood producer seeking to make a film about “The Street Vet’s” life.
“The CNN (Hero) nomination, followed by the ‘Top 10 Hero’ announcement a few weeks ago has been the single most significant benefit to my mission since starting this work 12 years ago,” Stewart informed City News Service.
“The visibility and warm outpouring of support has been amazing. I can’t even imagine if I win the top award. It’s been some ride and a career honor to serve these pets and their special owners.”
Those seeking to contribute to Project Street Vet by the Fetch Pet 101 Donations effort can achieve this at fetchpet.com/psv.
City News Service contributed to this text.
