Mandy Wood is feeding the hungry dogs of Te Puke

Mandy Wood started the Facebook page Hungry Dogs of Te Puke in December. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

It’s like a foodbank — only for dogs.

In December, dog trainer Mandy Wood started up Hungry Dogs of Te Puke.

She had spent three years, with Chloe Griffin who runs a pet foodbank called The Pet Pantry from her house in Putāruru, helping those who might be struggling to provide for the needs of their dogs.

“I decided after three years it was time to ask the community for a bit of help and start my own project in Te Puke,” says Mandy, “so I could help those neglected dogs, get some flea treatment out there, worming pills, shelter, and whatever they need.

“I have been very lucky, the community has been helping me hugely. There are a lot of hungry dogs out there at the moment.”

She says with winter now beginning to bite, her services are even more important.

“Those who are underweight are vulnerable as temperatures drop. I want to get food out there and fatten them up before it gets colder.”

She says one of the impacts of the cost of living crisis is that people are struggling to meet their pets’ needs.

“I see big numbers of dogs on certain properties and I’ve seen some terrible things — but you do what you can to get food and shelter out to them so they do have a wee bit more comfort. I’ve come across places where dogs have been neglected with fleas and sores all over their backs — they are skin and bone.”

Because she is so busy, Mandy would prefer donations to be left at the Dog Box in Oxford St in Te Puke if possible.

She is having Hungry Dogs of Te Puke registered as a charity.

Where she can, she works with animal rescue organisation RRR to get dogs spayed.

“I do a lot of training work with them and they help me with food.”

Mandy is a dog trainer and also works at the Dog Box in Te Puke

Her first dog was Nya who she got 10 years ago.

Now she has six dogs and regularly has more on hand that she is fostering.

But she wouldn’t be without them.

“What we need more of is, we need to live in the moment, and dogs help with that — when you are stressed just do something with the dogs; take the dogs out and all the stress is gone.”

Mandy is the first individual winner of the EPIC Te Puke’s Thumbs Up Award.

Two monthly awards are planned, one for an individual and one for a group or organisation, with Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade winning the organisation award for May.

EPIC marketing manager Rebecca Larsen says the campaign was inspired by board member Suemi Allan who wanted to recognise Te Puke’s parking officer who picks up rubbish while walking around the CBD.

“She just thought that was really good and he needed some gratitude, so we put together a certificate for him at the end of last year.”

“That led us to thinking we could do this every month and acknowledge individuals or a group each month who go above and beyond or who just quietly do things that support or help the community that people may not realise .”

As well as a certificate, the winners will receive EPIC dollars thanks to sponsorship from Mitre 10 and Bennetts Proactive and Mcdonald’s vouchers.

Nominations can be made through the Te Puke Online website.