PET OWNERS PULLED up at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Tuesday morning as volunteers from the Stockton Animal Shelter distributed free pet food.
Started during the pandemic near the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless, the animal shelter’s volunteers distributed free dog and cat food to pet owners.
Volunteers Darryl Carter, Mary Komure, Ruthie Sims, Rita Brown and Martha Moreno now set up the pantry at Van Buskirk on the second and fourth Tuesdays every month.
Carter said about 150 to 200 cars come in for the pantry every time.
“We ask them how many dogs and cats they have and give them food accordingly,” Komure said. “We have a lot of repeaters every month, and they are very grateful.”
Komure said the shelter receives donations from places all over, including Amazon and Safeway. “We get the majority of our donations from Safeway,” she added.
Alexander Jones looks for leashes for his two pitbulls during the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Jan. 23, 2024. “Bless you people for doing this,” said Jones, who is homeless. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News) 
Darryl Carter hands out a bag of dog food during the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Tuesday. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News) 
Mary Komure (left) and Ruthie Sims hand out two bags of dog food to a pet owner in a car during the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Jan. 23, 2024. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News) 
Darryl Carter and Mary Komure give out cat food to a pet owner during the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Jan. 23, 2024. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News) 
Jeanette Gatlin receives cat food and a litter box from volunteer Rita Brown during the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Tuesday. Gatlin, who works closely with Brown, said she would use that food for the cats she has been watching at the Walmart near Trinity Parkway. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News) 
Pet owners pull up in their cars for the free pet pantry drive-thru at Van Buskirk Park in Stockton on Jan. 23, 2024. (Harika Maddala/Bay City News)
Among the pet owners who came by seeking pet food were a few who were homeless who walked from the homeless shelter to the park.
“Bless you people for doing this,” said Alexander Jones, a homeless man, who received bags of kibble and wet food along with leashes and a blanket for his two pit bulls.
Harika Maddala is a photojournalist based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. They are a Report for America corps member and a CatchLight Local Fellow.
