“Hank barked at anything that moved,” Mark James recalls about his beloved dog. “Which is ironic, because when I chose him at the rescue shelter when he was only 8 weeks old, he was the only dog in the place not barking.”
Sadly, Hank died of cancer of the spleen when he was only 8 years old. “It bothered me deeply to have to put him down,” James says, “and I thought, ‘How can I do something with this sadness?’
”It occurred to him there were Little Free Libraries in people’s yards as well as food pantries for humans, so why not offer free pet food? “I thought surely this must have been done before but found out the only places to get pet food donations were shelters such as the SPCA, where one has to fill out paperwork and prove they are in need.”
James is a woodworker who builds custom guitars. He constructed a cute donation box for his front yard. Since October 2021, he has distributed over 11,471 pounds of dry dog and cat food and 10,877 cans. He donates about 35 percent of the food, and the rest other people have dropped off at the box. He was also able to get a contribution from the Chewy pet food company.
“It’s been my experience that folks who have fallen on hard times often take better care of their pets than they do of themselves,” James says. “I think it speaks volumes about the character of the people of St. Pete that I have received so many food donations so others will be able to keep their pets at home.”
James has as much as he can handle at the moment and was pleased to see a woman in Pinellas Park set up a pet-food donation box in her yard. “Perhaps others will do the same,” he says, “so those in need will be able to save what little money they do have to better care for themselves.”
Hank’s Bark box is at the northwest corner of 65th St. S and Third Ave. in St. Pete if you would like to drop off or pick up a donation of pet food. There is a Hank’s Bark Box wish list on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/ hz/wishlist/ls/2XRM2PANAB4FM?ref_=wl_share where you can make a food purchase that ships directly to the organization. Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Hanks-Bark-Box-104414038731809
