Julie Bourdon operates Kibble 4 Paws from a rented storage container in Morewood. Animal Rescues need food; the more cats, rabbits, birds, and dogs a rescue helps, the more food they need. Kibble 4 Paws is putting otherwise wasted food from the pet industry into the hands of rescues, shelters, sanctuaries, and foodbanks that need it.
One day, four years ago, while transporting a rescued animal, Julie came up with a way to help rescues secure food. Initially, she provided food to one rescue every couple of months. A year ago, in March, 2020, when the pandemic began, she started to provide the option of delivery right to the door of the rescue. Kibble 4 Paws now supplies animal food, bedding, and litter to 57 organisations, including shelters, rescues, farm sanctuaries, wildlife centres, foodbanks, and wellness centres. They supply foodbanks and wellness centres so that people who are going through a rough patch do not have to worry about losing their pets.
Kibble 4 Paws has eight Kibble Krew who deliver food. The East Krew deliver to Ottawa, North Dundas, Cassleman, Embrun, Alexandria, Plantagenet, and St Eugene. The West Krew deliver to South Dundas, Leeds & Grenville, Brockville, and Kingston. They also deliver to two Krew in Kingston, who then drive further on to Campbellford, Belleville, Courtice, and Oshawa. When I dropped by Headquarters, I found two Kibble Krew, Marilyn and Peter Scott piling their vehicle full of food to head to Brockville. Marilyn and Peter do a huge amount of work for animal rescues in the area. All the Kibble Krew donate their time, vehicle, gas, and labour. Scheduling and coordinating deliveries and drivers is a massive job. Julie says they’re like a well-oiled machine now. She is very thankful for Messenger chats!
Mondou donates cat and dog food, cat litter, some bird seed, and some small animal feed. The food usually has damaged packaging, or is from returns, or it is near its best-before date. Donating the food is not just good for rescue animals, it is also good for the environment, because it keeps it out of the incinerator. Julie purchases food for rabbits, pigs, guinea pigs, and rats, as well as wood shavings, from Dundas Feed and Seed, with money donated to Kibble 4 Paws. She buys bales of hay from a local farmer, also with donated funds. Kibble 4 Paws is always looking for donations to help offset the cost of these supplies. Find them at [email protected].
Julie regularly rents a 20 foot cube van to pick up the food from Mondou in Montreal. Claro Cabinet Manufacturing in Morewood is a sponsor, and provides Kibble 4 Paws with a place to put their rented storage container. Kibble 4 Paws would love to own their own storage containers, and are looking for sponsors and donations towards this goal. Any storage solutions would need to be wild-animal proof! Van rental and gas for the van are also funded through donations.
You can contact Kibble 4 Paws: at [email protected], or send them a message on their Facebook site.