We're glad you're here! Now, how can we help?
At Appalachian Pet Pantry, we believe that every pet deserves to be loved and cared for. Our non-profit organization provides assistance to pet owners who may be struggling to provide for their furry friends. Our goal is to reduce the number of pets in need and keep more pets with their families. With our program, we hope to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Please consider donating to our cause, so that we can continue to keep pets healthy, happy, and at home.
About Us
Appalachian Pet Pantry Inc is a Charity Non-Profit Organization in the hills of Southeastern, Kentucky in our tiny town of Whitesburg. We are dedicated to improving the lives of pets in our region by making low cost spay/neuter accessible and providing monthly pet food boxes to qualified households. We focus on the prevention of owner surrenders by supplementing their basic needs for pet care. However, we can’t succeed alone, we need the support of our community and animal lovers far and wide, like you, to join forces with us to really make a significant impact in these mountains for future generations to come!
Media Center
Since our beginnings, after the flood of July 22, we have worked hard to make an impact here in our region. These articles show how it all began. When the waters rose, we did what we could to help our friends and neighbors. We couldn't build houses or replace lost treasures, but I am forever grateful we were able to love their pets until they were able to be reunited. At our highest, we housed 93 flood pets at no charge to the owners while they worked to find housing. "Mountain people are some of the most resilient and toughest people God ever made!" - Tara Whitt Ritchie, Founder
"100 year flood they say"
This is where it all began in July 2022. A 100 year flood ravished our little small mountain town and tore through the valleys taking houses and life in its path. View more coverage in our gallery. We saw a need and we decided who better to help than us! That need still continues today and we receive more and more pleas for help as we grow. (The Mountain Eagle newspaper)
It is the stuff you see on TV but never think it will be your town. Now our purpose is to see that the people in this area bounce back stronger than before the storm! Through the Appalachian Pet Pantry we continue to serve the people and pets here as they continue to rebuild two years later. (WYMT News photo)
Waters pass 10 feet deep in our hometowns
Van Rescue 23
This was a collaborative effort between several volunteers that quickly became a bigger situation than any of us imagined. See more in the gallery of our rescue of 35 dogs being held in a van! (The Mountain Eagle news article)
January 2024 Distribution
A contribution from HSUS-KY and Chewey.Com we were able to distribute 35,000 pounds of pet food to our communities in the cold of winter!
The beginning of a new ERA post flood
In the days after the water receded, the need was still just as strong. The Appalachian Pet Pantry became an official 501(c)(3) non profit charity organization that still serves our community and region.