DUNDALK — One Dundalk woman is on a mission to make sure pet owners have the food they need to feed their animals.
That woman is Lindsay Jacks.
When Jacks used to work at Baltimore County Animal Services, she saw firsthand how people struggled to feed their pets.
"I saw a ton of animals being surrendered by their owners, just because, they could not afford pet food. They couldn't afford supplies to feed their pets," said Jacks.
That spurred Jacks into action.
She decided to open up Leeway Pet Pantry in front of her house.
Inside, you'll find pet food and animal supplies.
There's even an extra bin that has large bags of food for rats, cats and dogs.
"The pantry is simply a little free library that we turned directly into a pet pantry," said Jacks.
Jacks started the pantry in 2023.
Over the years, she has seen a rise in people coming to get food.
Jacks says Baltimore County doesn't have a lot of pet pantries, so people from all over are stopping by.
"We're trying to provide anything for anyone in Baltimore County on the east side. We have some people come from Catonsville over to the pet pantry. I even do porch pick ups, so if a certain person knows they're going to come, I'll, you know, save certain items aside for them," said Jacks.
While people come to pick up food and supplies, they also stop by to donate items as well.
Jacks wants people to know there's no shame in asking for help.
"So, my goal is that I can provide, even if it's my neighborhood, I can help them during a hardship or I don't want anyone to have to surrender their pet to a shelter or a home, just because they're going through a hardship," said Jacks.
Leeway Pet Pantry is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.
The pantry can't accept pet medication.