We really hate having to make a post like this, but we’re hoping we can turn something disappointing into something good.

Outside our facility, we keep a locked supply box that serves a couple of important purposes. Our foster families use it to pick up supplies after hours, and we also use it to share supplies that we cannot use in-house with fellow rescuers who can put them to good use. (Not a thing goes to waste around here!)

Unfortunately in the middle of the night, someone broke the lock, damaged the box, and took food and various other pet supplies:

What makes this especially disappointing is that there is a sign right on top asking anyone who is struggling to care for their pets to please come inside and ask us for help.

We don’t know this person’s circumstances, and we don’t want to demonize someone who may genuinely be struggling. But breaking into our property, damaging something we rely on, and stealing donated supplies is not okay.

Everything donated to RPM is entrusted to us for a reason. Whether it’s a bag of food, a case of puppy formula, or a few dollars, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of it and make sure it goes where it is intended to go.

So, we’re going to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

We’ve found a heavy-duty steel jobsite box that we can permanently anchor into the concrete, secure with a commercial-grade lock, and build a protective enclosure around to help keep it secure. We’ve priced out the steel box and freight shipping, lock, installation, concrete anchoring, and materials, and estimate the total project will cost $1,700.

If you are able to help us cover this unexpected expense, we would be incredibly grateful!

We also hope you can help us turn this into something positive too.

The food that was taken reminded us just how many people in our community are struggling to feed and care for the pets they love. At our upcoming FREE Community Vet Care Day, we don’t just want to provide free vaccines, microchips, and other basic care. We want to send as many families home with pet food as we possibly can.

So we’re turning this into a Community Pet Food Drive!

Once the cost of replacing the box is covered, every additional dollar raised will go toward pet food for our free community pet pantry.

Please consider donating today, or purchasing pet food directly off our wishlist: https://a.co/0jj6Prvc

Every bag purchased will help us make sure someone who comes to us for help can leave with food for their pet.

And if the person who did this happens to see this post, please hear this part most of all: Next time, please just come inside and ask us. We don’t have a dedicated fund for community pet food assistance (yet!), and we can’t promise we’ll always have exactly what someone needs. But we will do our absolute best to not send someone away empty handed who genuinely cannot feed their pet. We would much rather help you get the food you need than have you break into something to get it.

Now, let’s turn one disappointing night into hundreds of full bellies!

Theft at Rescued Pets Movement