What does someone do when they can’t feed themselves, much less a beloved pet? There are food stamp programs for the human population, but seeing a need for owners who can’t afford to buy pet food, one nonprofit is trying to keep those dogs and cats in kibble and canned food.

The Wall Street Journal spoke with the founder of the privately funded nonprofit that allows people on government assistance to apply for free pet food. Currently pet food is on the no-buy list if you’re using food stamps, but there are still people struggling to provide sustenance for their furry friends.

The founder says he was moved to create the program after a friend of his fell on hard times.

“She told me she sometimes fed her cat before herself,” he said.

He says the group has been hit with an overload of applications, with applicants explaining in detail how the economy has trampled all over them, and by extension, their pets.

“I just heard from a lady in North Carolina who has an autistic son whose only companion is a Jack Russell Terrier,” the founder says. “It’s cookie-cutter sadness. … Little details change but the gist of each story is the same.”

Pets on Food Stamps [Wall Street Journal]

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