In late August, the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA faced a two-month waitlist for urgent pet food deliveries due to the lack of dedicated vehicles. However, local donors have stepped in to provide the organization with three vans.
Brad Grabell, the director of strategy at HBSPCA, expressed admiration for the collaboration between a corporation and an individual to support the same cause. He described it as a heartwarming example of community unity.
One van was generously donated by the Burlington branch of Driving Force, a vehicle rental company. Another van came from the family foundation of Dr. Liz O’Brien, a Hamilton veterinarian. The third van was sold to HBSPCA at a discounted rate by Driving Force, as confirmed by Karissa Kugler, the communications manager at HBSPCA.
Dr. Liz O’Brien and Bryce Taylor, the Burlington regional manager of Driving Force, both reached out to offer assistance almost simultaneously after the need for a new vehicle was made public, according to a press release by HBSPCA.
The charity required a new van to support their Pet Pantry program, as the demand for meals skyrocketed from serving 30,000 in 2023-2024 to three million in 2024-2025.
Grabell emphasized the increasing demand for assistance, with the wait time for services now reduced to under 30 days. HBSPCA has expanded its reach beyond its original geographic region to deliver thousands of pounds of food to various locations, including Halifax, N.S., and remote fly-in communities in northern Ontario.
The Pet Pantry program has experienced significant growth since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly impacting elderly pet owners. Grabell highlighted the surge in demand post-pandemic, attributing it to the rising cost of living and financial challenges faced by many individuals.
Taylor, inspired to help after hearing the call for donations on the news, contributed vans to the cause. He expressed delight in supporting HBSPCA’s mission to aid animals in need, noting his personal connection to pets and his family’s pet-centered values.
The generous contributions from Taylor and O’Brien have significantly reduced wait times for the HBSPCA Pet Pantry in Hamilton and Burlington, now falling well below the 30-day mark. With the new fleet, the organization aims to extend its assistance to more families beyond the 931,000 helped last year.