BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Animal Services hosted their annual Thanksgiving feed on Thursday, serving a special holiday meal to approximately 400 dogs currently staying at the shelter.
About 20 volunteers arrived at 8 a.m. to help prepare the feast, spending roughly an hour opening cans and transferring food into larger containers. The bowls were filled with dog-friendly Thanksgiving fare including chicken, carrots, gravy, and a dollop of cool whip on top.
"We're going to feed them a little bit of everything, a little bit of chicken, a little bit of carrots, a little bit of gravy, and a little bit of cool whip right on top," Meghan Clark said.
Clark, a senior animal care worker at Kern County Animal Services, said the tradition has continued for seven years thanks to dedicated volunteers who show up each year.
"It makes us, you know, really excited and happy and grateful for them. We probably couldn't do this without them," Clark said.
Volunteer Jasmine Vargas, who recently started helping at the shelter, said she was excited to participate in the special event.
"I decided to come today. I was like, Oh, I get to prepare their food. They get a little Thanksgiving dinner as well, so it would just make me happy," Vargas said. "I love animals. So everything that I've been doing is not any type of work for me. I just enjoy being here. So anything that would help the animals, I'm willing to do it."
Clark explained that the special meal carries deeper significance for animals who are still searching for their permanent homes.
"It gives them just a little sense of hope, right? It gives them some joy. We like to see the pets happy here. And, you know, they've probably never experienced anything like this," Clark said.
After completing the preparation work, volunteers lined up with bowls to serve the traditional Thanksgiving meal to the dogs. Many of the animals clearly enjoyed their feast, with some even experiencing food comas afterward.
"We're super thankful for the volunteers, the staff, the community, and everybody that helps us out with this," Clark said.
Kern County Animal Services plans to continue the tradition with a Christmas feed later this year.
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