The way to the heart is through the stomach

Published on 17 March 2024

Meals on Wheels and Animal Shelter unite to feed rescued animals

Nothing beats a homecooked meal, and that goes for our furry friends, too. We’ve created a nutritious, sustainable and money-saving collaboration that has warmed the hearts and filled the stomachs of everyone involved.

Our Meals on Wheels staff have found a way to improve the lives of animals at the Community Animal Shelter and Animal Pound. Using some creative thinking, they have turned kitchen scraps into a feast fit for kings—or, in this case, cats, dogs, and pocket pets like rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs.

The team is responsible for making and delivering about 300 meals daily for our Meals on Wheels clients.

They collect all the fruit and vegetable scraps, rice, and meat offcuts during meal preparation, and three times a week, our drivers deliver these pet-friendly leftovers to the staff at the animal shelter in Mornington. We’re proud we can offer a healthy diet to the animals in our care!

“Martin brings so much joy when he drops off the leftovers at the shelter. There’s usually a dog waiting for him at the gates and you can sense the excitement as all the animals know they’re about to enjoy the delicious treats.” - Leesa from the Community Animal Shelter.

This story is more than just heartwarming; it shows how working together can save money. We’re saving the animal shelter $80 weekly on food costs, which is also having a positive impact on our food-waste and sustainability efforts. We’re also freezing the fresh veggies to be used later, including as takeaway parcels for new adoptive owners of our rabbits and guinea pigs. Every meal they provide isn’t just filling bellies; it’s also giving the animals a healthy diet and avoiding food waste.

We take pride in looking after the wellbeing of all the animals in our care until they find their fur-ever homes.