Pictured is Meals on Wheels Yolo recipient Frank Valenzuela and his dog, Chiquita. Photo courtesy of Meals on Wheels 

YOLO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The “Passion For PAWS” pet food and supplies drive is ongoing across Yolo County through Dec. 31, supporting local food insecure seniors and their furry companions, as part of Meals on Wheels Yolo County’s (MOW Yolo’s) ongoing Meals on Wheels Pets and Well Seniors Program (PAWS).

“Pet food, like everything else, is expensive but Chiquita is my baby,” said Meals on Wheels Yolo meal recipient Frank Valenzuela, a widower from Woodland.  “Even though the food is expensive, I will do anything for my baby Chiquita.” 

A part of Meals on Wheels Yolo’s annual “Season For Seniors” campaign, the “Passion For PAWS” drive is intended to advance Meals on Wheels PAWS’ year-round impact, recognizing the important role that a pet often plays in relieving isolation for mobility-limited, homebound seniors, as well as the fiscal burdens that can be incurred by these older adults to care for their pets.  If pressed to choose, Meals on Wheels Yolo has discovered that many seniors will prioritize their pets' nutrition ahead of their own. 

"More than 50 local seniors, such as Frank, and their 90-plus pets, such as Chiquita, currently depend upon the Meals on Wheels PAWS program for pet food and supplies,” said Meals on Wheels Yolo programs manager Kathy Tuel. “These deliveries are crucial not only for the pets' well-being, but also for maintaining the human-animal bond, which is essential for the social health and emotional support of these seniors.”

Now available to Meals on Wheels Yolo home-delivered meals recipients in Woodland, Davis, West Sacramento and Winters, expansion of the Meals on Wheels PAWS program to serve isolated seniors and pets in rural Yolo County is planned for early 2026, according to Tuel, and will be possible with a successful “Passion For PAWS” food and supplies drive.

Donations of unopened dog and cat food and treats, leashes, collars and other essential supplies are needed, with drop-off locations available through year’s end in Woodland, Davis, Winters and West Sacramento. Details, as well as the opportunity to offer monetary gifts to accelerate “Passion For PAWS,” are available at https://mowyolo.org/s4s; scroll to the second half of the web page.

Additionally, if you operate a local business and are inspired to host a “Passion For PAWS” donation bin, contact Tuel at [email protected] or 530-662-7035.

Meals on Wheels PAWS initiated last February, thanks to founding sponsor Cat Tales Feline Health Center in Davis, with further support from Meals on Wheels America. To learn more about Meals on Wheels PAWS, visit https://mowyolo.org/nutrition-access/pets-and-seniors/ or call 530-662-7035.