Families on SNAP worry about not just feeding themselves but also their pets

"I don't even make enough money for all my bills let alone groceries, said Lungwitz, a 46-year-old auto parts store worker who has worried she might have to surrender her cat, Bambi, and two dogs, Spike and Chloe. The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration's emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order to fully fund SNAP food aid payments amid the government shutdown, even though residents in more than a half-dozen states already received the funds."

"Although SNAP can't be used for pet food, the food assistance program helps low-income families free up money to purchase kibble. It's also common for owners to supplement or entirely feed their animals human food that was purchased using SNAP, said Stephanie Hicks, executive director for Care for Pets, the Rockford, Illinois, nonprofit that helped Lungwitz and others. Some volunteers walked the grocery aisles with struggling pet owners."

SNAP payments have been disrupted and delayed during the longest government shutdown on record, leaving low-income households struggling to buy groceries. Some families rely on SNAP to free up cash to purchase pet food or feed animals with human food bought with benefits. Nonprofits and volunteers have mobilized to provide grocery gift cards and collect pet food, walk clients through stores, and otherwise assist pet owners. Shelters are concerned about an increase in animal surrenders as economic strain rises. The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a court order to fully fund SNAP payments, creating further uncertainty.

Read at www.mercurynews.com