As the federal government shutdown stretches into its fifth week, Bergen County’s food pantries are not the only ones struggling to keep up with growing need. Animal rescue groups say they’re also running out of resources — and that the impact is already reaching local families and their pets.
“Just like the last shutdown and COVID, people can’t feed their kids,” said Lynn Bonilla, vice president of Pet ResQ, Inc. in Tenafly. “So everybody will be surrendering their animals because they can’t feed them either.”
Bonilla said her small, foster-based nonprofit — which has operated for years on donations and volunteer help — is nearly out of funds. The group runs what she calls a retention program, providing food and basic veterinary care to pet owners who have lost income or are facing eviction.
“But my rescue is broke,” she said. “People are just not aware of the trickle-down. Without awareness, nobody understands or gets it.”
Bonilla said the situation mirrors past crises, when families in financial distress felt forced to abandon or surrender animals they could no longer feed. She recalled the COVID-19 lockdowns and earlier federal shutdowns as times when “shelters were overwhelmed, rescues were full, and nobody could take in one more.”
“This has also been the worst year in rescue,” she said. “All shelters are full. Rescues are saying ‘no’ every day, and it breaks our hearts. We don’t want to take anybody else’s pets — but people can’t afford to feed them.”
Pet ResQ, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based at 24 W. Railroad Ave., Tenafly. The organization, which does not operate a shelter, relies on a network of foster homes and local partners to care for animals while they await adoption. Its policy is to adopt only within a four-state area — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut — and no more than an hour from its home base.
Bonilla said she hopes that as food distributions ramp up for affected households, awareness will also spread about the need for pet food donations.
“Pantries need everything,” she said. “And they desperately need items for animals too.”
Pet food donations or offers of help may be sent through petresqinc.org.
As Bonilla put it: “We are their voice.”