🐾 DELCO LOVES ANIMALS PET RESOURCE GUIDE - Updated July 2026

Connecting People and Pets with Local Help, Services and Adoption Resources

Donations Needed for Our Heros Helping Paws Event I September 21st I Collingdale Fire Co.

🐾 Donations NEEDED!

Please Help Keep the Pantry Going!

Donations Are Needed. To confirm you donation, please email us at delcolovesanimals@gmail.com or you can donate through our Amazon Wish List by clicking below. Thank you.💙 

🛒 Shop Our Amazon Wish List

If you're not an approved pantry participant, please complete the Enrollment form and follow the instructions on the form. 

Want to volunteer with us? Complete this form.

Support Our August Pet Food Pantry 🥫Every Meal Matters

Delco Pets Need Your Help!

We know we ask often — but that’s because the need never stops. Each month we have little to no left overs which is just how we like it! But that means we have to start all over each month with fresh donations. Our "shelves" need replenishing, and pets in our community are counting on us for food and supplies. Every bag, every can, every donation truly makes a difference.

Thank you!

Dear Senator Kearney, Congresswoman Scanlon, and Representatives Boyd and Curry,

 

Below is an letter that will be emailed on July 31, 2025. This is just the beginning! 

Dear Senator Kearney, Congresswoman Scanlon, and Representatives Boyd and Curry,

Thank you for taking the time to hold a community meeting and listen directly to the concerns of local residents. Your willingness to engage with the public is deeply appreciated.

I’m following up on my remarks at the July 25th community meeting at Beverly Hills Middle School, where I spoke on behalf of Delco Loves Animals about the growing crisis of stray and abandoned animals—particularly cats—across Delaware County. At the request of Bernadetta, a dedicated animal rescue and TNR advocate, we launched a petition titled Protect the Paws: Change the Law on Change.org. As of this writing, we have gathered 496 signatures toward our goal of 1,000. We would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word to reach more supporters.

This crisis is not the fault of the animals or those trying to help. It stems from irresponsible pet ownership, including abandonment, neglect, failure to spay or neuter, and allowing pets to roam the streets. Many of these cats are former house pets—not feral animals—who are unequipped to survive on their own. Left to fend for themselves, they face starvation, disease, injury, abuse, and death.

Despite this, residents who step up to feed and care for these animals are being threatened with $1,000 fines in some municipalities. This is especially troubling considering that many towns in Delaware County have both a “no roaming” and a “no feeding” ordinance, yet only the feeding ban is being actively enforced—with no regard for how these animals ended up on the streets.

The people being penalized are not the ones causing the problem. Instead, enforcement should focus on those who: 

• Abandon pets when they move,
• Allow unaltered cats (and dogs) to roam freely,
• Shut cats out of their homes permanently,
• Or dump animals intentionally far from their own neighborhoods.

Enforcing only the no-feeding ordinance does not solve the problem—it enables animal cruelty. Starving animals suffer or die, often being hit by cars, attacked, or deliberately harmed.

In one personal experience as real estate agents, my husband and I were putting up a "For Sale" sign when we were surrounded by over ten stray cats, one in extremely poor condition. A young girl told us that a boy on her street had killed one of that cat’s kittens. This is not just heartbreaking—it’s alarming and unacceptable.

My husband and I have met with members of the District Attorney’s Office, and I had the opportunity to briefly speak with District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer at a political event—where I happened to be standing right beside him (to me that was nothing short of Divine Providence, as he’d been unable to attend our meeting earlier that day). During both conversations, we were informed that while the DA’s office is committed to prosecuting cases of animal cruelty, they can only do so when law enforcement makes an arrest.

Unfortunately, what we often hear is that many local police departments in Delaware County are understaffed and under-resourced, and as a result, animal cruelty cases are not prioritized. The perception—whether accurate or not—is that these offenses are rarely investigated or enforced. And when people believe there will be no consequences, they feel emboldened to treat animals inhumanely, knowing there's little chance of being held accountable.

We recognize that this is an issue that must also be addressed at the municipal and local law enforcement levels, and we are committed to working on that front as well. If there is any support or guidance you can offer in helping move this forward, we would greatly appreciate it.

Beyond compassion, this issue has real economic consequences. Stray animal overpopulation leads to noise disturbances (fighting, females in heat), property damage, and unsanitary conditions. These factors lower property values and discourage potential buyers from settling in affected neighborhoods. A visible stray population is a signal of neglect and a community in decline—something that directly impacts the reputation and desirability of our towns.

 Meanwhile, the people and organizations trying to address this crisis are stretched to their limits. Nonprofits and rescue groups are working hard—often independently—but the problem is growing. Volunteers are emotionally, physically, and financially exhausted. Shelters are overwhelmed, and healthy, young adoptable animals—including kittens and puppies—are being euthanized due to lack of space. Spay-and-abort procedures are being performed on pregnant cats and dogs up to birth. This is a tragic and unsustainable situation and should be seen as a wake-up call to all of us.

That’s why we’re calling on your leadership to help implement a comprehensive, humane, and coordinated solution for Delaware County, including:

A county-wide Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, properly funded and adopted across municipalities,

• An end to spay-and-abort procedures and the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals,
• Public education campaigns about responsible pet ownership and abandonment,
• A re-examination of ordinances to ensure they protect animals and the people helping them,
• And support for local rescue groups and advocates working on the front lines.

We are not asking you to solve this alone or secure all the funding—there is a dedicated network of advocates, residents, and organizations ready to help, and we will actively pursue fundraising once our nonprofit is established and we receive our 501(c)(3) status. We urge you to look at Delaware’s statewide spay and neuter voucher program as a model and consider implementing something similar here in Pennsylvania to address this crisis at its root.

Delco Loves Animals, along with many community members, is eager to work with your offices toward a permanent, compassionate, and effective policy. We hope you will stand with us—and with the animals—by supporting practical, humane reforms. My husband and I have no doubt that together we truly can make the difference that needs to be made.

Please note: I’ve cc’d Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State Director, State Affairs at Humane World for Animals, as well as the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office.

 With kind regard,

 Lisa Small (on behalf of myself and my husband, Rich Small)

    

 The righteous care for the needs of their animals… - Proverbs 12:10

DLA's Email Update - July 20, 2025 - Get involved!

 

Hi everyone!

 First off, I hope you and your loved ones are doing great and enjoying a beautiful summer! ☀️ This is my favorite time of year—but honestly, it still feels like mine hasn’t even started yet.  

I’ve included a few things Rich and I have been working on lately, like our Small Talk Newsletter and our Small Talk Podcast. They're a great way to share information and updates and connect with more people in the community. We'd love for you to check them out and subscribe!

There’s A LOT to catch you up on, so this message is LONG—thanks for hanging in with me! We have a Zoom meeting scheduled for next week to discuss what’s in this email and to answer any questions (see the last page for details).😊 Ok, here we go!

 SMALL TALK NEWSLETTER – INTRODUCING A COMMUNITY CORNER!

We’re excited to share the latest edition of Small Talk with Rich & Lisa, —our periodic newsletter packed with local updates, real estate insights, helpful resources, and the latest from Delco Loves Animals! 🐾

We’re also launching a brand-new section called Community Corner, where we’ll feature local stories, announcements, events, even local businesses in Delco and anything that brings our neighbors together. If you—or someone you know—has news to share, we’d love to hear from you!

To submit something for Community Corner, email us at richsmallteam@gmail.com with the subject line: Small Talk Newsletter: Community Corner

To subscribe and receive future issues, just email us with the subject line: Subscribe to Small Talk Newsletter and we’ll happily add you to the list.

Please note: All submissions will be reviewed to ensure they’re a good fit for our publication.

SMALL TALK PODCAST

Our newest podcast episode of Small Talk with Rich & Lisa is live! We dusted off the mics (actually, we couldn’t find them) and we’re excited to get our podcast up and running—this time, more often. And we want you to join the conversation. We’ll be going LIVE from here on out to give listeners a chance to call in with a comment or question. Do you have a fun or funny story?

Passion project? A local business? Have a favorite topic you’d like to talk about? Whether you're a local neighbor, pet lover, local business professional or owner, or someone with something to say, we’d love to have you on as a guest. Text or call us at 484-388-9259 if you're interested (or if you know someone who’d be great)!

🐾 PROTECT THE PAWS: CHANGE THE LAW PETITION* 🖊️

This petition was initiated by Bernadetta Smith. We thank Bernadetta for bringing this to our attention after a frustrating and disheartening experience involving local ordinances that prohibit feeding stray animals and allow roaming pets to go unaddressed. These kinds of laws make it harder for animal advocates and volunteers to do the right thing—and they stand in the way of meaningful progress in reducing the stray pet population across Delaware County.

We are to help carry each other’s burdens so we’re calling on community members, animal lovers, and local leaders to come together and support change. Let’s work toward consistent, compassionate ordinances across all municipalities that protect animals and empower those trying to help.

📢 Please read, sign, and share the petition to help us get the attention of the right decision-makers so we can start making a real difference—together. Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless.

As of the writing of this email we’re up to 286 signatures on the petition. We’d like to hit at least 1,000 before we take it to the next step. We need your help sharing this.

*COUNTY-WIDE MEETING

Delco Loves Animals is planning a community-wide meeting to bring attention to the urgent issues surrounding stray animals and outdated ordinances that are making it harder for us—and others—to help. We’re inviting local politicians, council members, mayors, and community leaders to join us for an open and productive discussion about how current local laws are impacting efforts to feed, care for, and reduce the stray pet population in Delaware County. Our goal is to work together toward compassionate, consistent solutions that support both animal welfare and community needs. We’re also working to get this meeting covered in local news outlets to ensure public awareness and engagement. We’ll need a large space to have this meeting so if your borough or township has a large community center that would work, please let us know. More details will be shared soon—we hope you’ll join us, spread the word, and be part of the change!

OUR NEXT PET FOOD PANTRY

Our upcoming Pet Food Pantry for this month will be July 27^th, and our co-sponsor is once again Prospect United Methodist Church in Prospect Park (see attached flyer). A huge THANKS to Michelle Towey and Prospect United for saving the day and for co-sponsoring another pet food pantry.

DLA’S CALENDAR OF EVENTS I CO-SPONSOR STILL NEEDED FOR DECEMBER

o   July 27^th :                    Prospect United Methodist Church - CONFIRMED

o   August 24^th or 31^st:     Grace Reformed Episcopal Church - Waiting for confirmation

o   September 27^th:          Table at Brookhaven Family Day - CONFIRMED

o   September 28^th:         Collingdale Firehouse - Waiting for confirmation

o   October 26^th:              RealChurch Brookhaven - 301 Edwards Dr, Brookhaven, PA 19015 CONFIRMED

o   November:                 Possible Vendor Event - Waiting for confirmation – Nov. 23^rd or 30^th

o   December:                  OPEN December 21^st or 28^th

Please note we have changed the collection of donations and the pantry times. The time will either be from 12:30pm -2pm for donation drop-offs and 1:30pm – 2:30pm for the pantry OR 1:00pm -2:30pm for donation drop-offs and 2:00pm – 3:00pm for the pantry.

Once we receive all the confirmations, we’ll post this list on our blog and on the Delco Loves Animals Facebook page. If you know of a municipality, business or church who would like to co-sponsor a Pet Food Pantry in December, please let us know. Thanks!

DONATIONS

A big thank you to everyone who’s donated pet food and supplies—including those who’ve sent items through our Amazon Wish List! Your kindness is making a real difference for local pets, fosters, feeders, and the families who love them. We truly appreciate all the support coming in. That said, the need is still there. Our DLA Pet Food Pantry continues to serve more pets every month, and we could really use your help to keep it going strong.

Here’s how you can pitch in:

·      Know a local business, church, or community group that might collect pet food for us? We’ll provide a bin with a lid and handle the rest!

·     Share our Amazon Wish List with your friends, neighbors, and online communities. Every single donation helps. Remember, this is a county-wide effort to help reduce the stray pet population in Delaware County, and it’s a huge undertaking. The Pet Food Pantry helps us identify those who are in need to spaying and neutering their pets.

·      Our Amazon Wish List

Thanks again to everyone who’s given this month—or in months past. Your support means so much to us and to so many, and we couldn’t do this without you.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

We’ve Got Volunteer Opportunities – Want to Get Involved? 🐾

To kick off our volunteer opportunities we’ll be holding a Zoom meeting just for volunteers. We’ll discuss this during our next Zoom meeting on July 24^th (see below). Whether or not you’ve filled out our online volunteer form, you’re welcome to join this meeting.

Here are some of the ways you can help:

1.       Pet Food Pantry Support

o   Set up and clean up before/after pantries

o   Bag the pet food and supplies

o   Greet and check in donors and participants

o   Review enrollment forms and spay/neuter records

o   Pick up refreshments (Dunkin'/Wawa – pre-paid/donated)

o   Pick up and organize donations

2.      Outreach

o   Contact local businesses, municipalities, and churches to introduce DLA and to ask them about co-sponsoring a pantry and placing a pet food donation bin

o   Attend local council meetings if needed

o   Reach out to local news outlets (Daily Times, Spirit News, etc.)

3.      Communication & Admin Help

o   Manage emails and help schedule meetings

o   Host Zoom meetings (when needed)

o   Make phone calls

o   Send thank-you cards (we’ll provide cards and stamps)

o   Enter donor and participant info into our database

4.      Promotions

o   Help with social media posts

o   Distribute flyers

o   Staff a table at local events

o   Contact rescues about bringing adoptable pets to our pet food pantry days

o   Help organize vendor events/pet food pantries

…and more as we grow! If you’re ready to lend a hand or have questions, feel free to reply or reach out. Every small effort makes a big difference—for both people and pets in our community.

ADOPTABLE PETS

At one of our pantries, we had adoptable cats, and it went well – Thank you, Jules Clevenger and Steve! The cats were adorable and were well behaved. We’d like to have adoptable pets at every pantry, if possible, to draw more people to our events.

Thank you, Sue Spinello at the Spayed Club who has provided insurance for the day, which allowed us to have adoptable pets. They may be willing to provide insurance for the day for any rescue who doesn’t have it so that we can open this opportunity up to more rescues. Please get in touch if you’re interested.

NON-PROFIT

I recently took a week-long class at the Non-Profit Institute though the University of Penn. It was excellent. There’s a lot involved and Rich and I wanted to know what we were getting into before jumping in. We are grateful to the great advice we’ve already received from those concerned and those who have been helping us sort it all out. Thank you to everyone who advised us and gave us food for thought. We want to know everything we can about non-profit organizations so that we can run it properly, smoothly, and well. If anyone is interested in taking this class, they hold it twice a year. Let me know and I’ll send you the contact information.

BOARD MEMBERS

We will soon be starting the process of choosing board members. Therefore, if you told us you were interested, we’ll be contacting you to set up a time to meet. We would like to have at least 5 board members. I was advised in a recent class I took (see below) to have background checks done and applications on each member at the expense of each applicant. There will be requirements to be a board member, and it will be a working board. If you’re interested, please let us know as soon as possible. County councilwoman, Christine Reuther, has agreed to meet with potential board members with us. She has represented many non-profit organizations. She also offered to write our by-laws, which was very generous. Please also see below under “How DLA will be run.”

HOW DLA WILL BE LED MOVING FORWARD

We’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how we want Delco Loves Animals (DLA) to grow and move forward, and we feel it’s important to be clear and transparent with everyone involved.

As founders, our faith in God through Jesus Christ plays a central role in our lives, in the way we do business, how we treat others, and now in the way we lead this organization. We will begin and end our board meetings with prayer, and we will continue to seek God's wisdom, guidance, and strength as we take on the enormous challenge of helping residents and animals in our community. We believe and rely on this truth: That with God, all things are possible—even the overwhelming issue of stray overpopulation in Delco, which we recognize is far bigger than any of us alone.

That said, we want to be clear: we are not asking or expecting everyone involved with DLA to share our personal beliefs. What we do ask is for the freedom to express our faith without criticism, and to be respected for who we are and the values we bring to this work. Unfortunately, we've had a few experiences where this hasn’t always been the case, so we feel it’s important to be upfront about it. At the same time, this doesn’t mean we’re above accountability. Just like anyone else, we welcome respectful feedback and want to be held to high standards. Our shared goal—helping animals in need—is one that unites us all, regardless of our backgrounds or beliefs. We’re incredibly grateful for each person who chooses to walk this path with us. We hope you’ll continue to be part of the journey.

ZOOM MEETING

We’re holding a Zoom meeting on Thursday, July 24^th at 7pm to discuss the contents of this email, listen to anyone’s thoughts, concerns or ideas, and answer any questions. We hope you can join us.

 Topic: Delco Loves Animals Update Meeting  I  Time: Jul 24, 2025, at 7:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85960345109?pwd=azjbQJ4b8k7qioc35xwFrSbwVcT4FO.1

Meeting ID: 859 6034 5109  I  Passcode: 567849