Animal Food Bank co-founder Nicole Frey, right, makes new friends at a fundraising barbecue on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Animal Food Bank stocking up for Medicine Hat launch in September

Aug 19, 2022 | 3:54 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – An animal-loving couple who founded an organization dedicated to keeping pets with their humans is preparing to launch a branch in Medicine Hat.

Nicole Frey and her husband AJ opened the first Animal Food Bank in 2019 in B.C. and now operate in Alberta and in Winnipeg.

The not-for-profit group fundraises to support homeless and low-income households with food for their animals.

She says she was inspired to start Animal Food Bank after meeting a homeless gentleman in 2019 and wondering how he fed his dog.

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“Us pet lovers know how much our pets mean to us and I don’t think pets should just be for the wealthy,” Frey says. “They provide so much support, love, unconditional love, companionship, security for all types of people. They benefit mental health.”

She continues.

“Dogs provide security for people who are homeless. And so for me, it’s become this learning journey over the last two years of how many gaps there are in the current systems and the current models to support pets staying in their homes. So we’re trying to prevent the need of adoption.”

Frey says they hope to officially open the Medicine Hat branch on Sept. 1.

A community barbecue took place today at Hat Cannabis to collect donations and start stocking inventory.

“We take anything and everything. We’ll take opened food as long as it’s in its original packaging. We take wet food, dry, food, treats, beds, leashes. As long as it’s in good condition we can find a spot for it and make use of it,” Frey says. “Dogs, cats, we’ve fed turtles, guinea pigs, fish, snakes”

Fry says they operate on a low-cost model with no storefront, relying on community partners such as Hat Cannabis to be drop-off spots.

The group will also be looking for volunteer drivers to deliver items around the community.

Find more information about becoming a drop-off spot, a volunteer driver or other ways you can help at animalfoodbank.org or on the group’s Facebook page.