Yesterday I drove someone to an appointment. We were headed to the far east side of Evansville and got stuck in traffic because of an accident, which made us run late. After the appointment, traffic was still a mess, and the return trip was even more of an odyssey.
Through the entire car ride, the woman’s little dog snuggled into her arms and snored peacefully. While we were stuck in traffic and waiting for a few more vehicles to inch through the next left-turn signal, I found it calming to glance over at the dog’s contented face. He was my reminder to take a breath and be patient because there wasn’t much else that could be done in that moment.
Many folks around Patchwork have pets. From them we know that pets are not a luxury, they are an essential part of life. This can be particularly true for many of Patchwork’s guests whose lives are stressful and sometimes chaotic. A little furry presence (or sometimes a feathered or scaled one) can make a huge difference.
Recognizing this, we try to support our guests who are pet owners. Patchwork is a place where pets can come inside, cool down, and get a drink of water during the heat of the summer. Pets are welcome in our building as long as they are respectful of the space and the other pets and people in it.
Patchwork is also a place where pet owners can pick up some pet food for their furry friends. It’s available in our food pantry thanks to the Tuly Pet Food Fund, which was started many years ago by a group of neighbors after the death of a beloved dog.
And Patchwork is a place where people can pet a fuzzy companion, even if they don’t have one themselves. For several years now, Shawn’s dog Roxie has accompanied her to work every morning. Roxie sleeps calmly all morning, accepting pats and scritches and lending a little fuzzy warmth in the process.
Patchwork is always glad to receive donations of dog and cat food to distribute to our guests. Just drop it off during our open hours Mon-Thurs, 9 am-noon! We’ll repack it into sharable portions.