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Pet food drive donations may be dropped of at the Soldotna or Kenai animal shelters, the Alaska Extended-Life Animal Sanctuary in Nikiski, or the borough building in Soldotna.

'Tis the season for giving, and three local women are hoping that this generosity will be extended to the four-legged less fortunates.

"Everyone does it for people, so I thought why not pets? They need it too," said Jamie Riley, who along with Holly Campbell and Misty Reger, has organized the sixth annual Pet Food Drive.

"I am hoping to get an early start this year since we got such a late one last year, but basically it's the same information as in the past," Riley said.

Dry food, canned food, cat litter, treats, toys, leashes, blankets, crates and carriers, wood shavings -- anything pet-related that people can give will be accepted, with the donated items being split between the three local facilities for unwanted animals: the Kenai Animal Shelter, the Soldotna Animal Control Shelter and the Alaska Extended-Life Animal Sanctuary in Nikiski.

Donation locations are the three shelters themselves or the Kenai Peninsula Borough Building in Soldotna, where the women work. Each individual shelter also could use some specific items, mostly things that can't be purchased with city money.

"We can mostly use dog and cat food, but treats and toys are wonderful too," said Patricia Stringer, chief animal control officer at the Kenai shelter.

Stringer said not only do these items help stimulate the animals confined to cages, but they help the adopted animals transition to their new homes.

"When an animal is adopted, we always try to give people a collar with an (identification) tag, and a toy to take home with their new pet," she said.

In Soldotna, Animal Control Officer Marianne Clark said toys for dogs and cats are also welcome, and she would be interested in donations of clean blankets and towels for the animals to lie on, rather than the cool shelter floor.

"They can stay warm, but also some of the animals, you give them a blanket and it's their prize possession. They don't even want to stand up once they get one," she said.

Clark said donations can also be left by the door if the shelter is closed, or if she is out on a call.

In Nikiski, Tim Colbath of the Alaska Extended-Life Animal Sanctuary said he is hoping for donations that will make it easier for him to clean up after the animals in his care.

"I'd love to find access to wood shavings or a mill that would allow us to pick up shavings. We use it for bedding and in the runs, because it doesn't get as nasty as straw does when the animals run on it. We can also always use scoopable cat liter.

"But really, we won't turn down anything dog or cat related. The food and other donations go a long way, and I can't stress enough how much we appreciate everyone doing this," Colbath said.

Monetary donations also are welcome, since cash and checks can really go a long way to helping with veterinary bills. Gift cards to various businesses are also helpful, as well as building supplies from Home Depot, Spenard Builders Supply and other hardware stores that can be used to make dog houses, fenced runs and other living or containment areas for unwanted pets.

Riley said she wants to have all the donated items by the end of December.

"We'll accept donations through December 21st and then we'll take everything over on the 22nd," she said.

As to why Riley annually organizes this event, she said the answer was simple.

"It's not joyous for an animal to be locked in a cage for life, so we want to bring them what joy we can," she said.

Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.