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- By Native News Online Staff
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Actress Joely Fisher, Protect the Sacred, Nestlé Purina, Arizona Army National Guard, Navajo Nation Attorney General Doreen N. McPaul, and attorneys and staff with the Navajo Nation Department of Justice teamed up to distribute cat and dog food to Navajo families.
The effort was coordinated to provide relief for Navajo families feeding their pets during the unprecedented difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Throughout this pandemic, we’ve focused our attention on the Navajo people so it’s good to see that we are now helping families with pets. For some, cats and dogs are a part of the family and it costs money to keep them fed. A big thank you to Joely Fisher, Protect the Sacred, Purina, and the National Guard for stepping up in a big way to help our Navajo people and their pets,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.
On Monday, the Arizona Army National Guard delivered two truckloads of the pet food to Window Rock from Nestlé Purina in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Pet food being delivered on Navajo Nation. Courtesy photos.
On Tuesday, the Nez-Lizer team began distributing the cat and dog food in the communities of Klagetoh, Wide Ruins, Pine Springs, and Tsé si áni, along with food, water, and other essential items for families. In total, the Nez-Lizer Administration distributed essential items to 325 Navajo families on Tuesday.
“Protect the Sacred is proud to partner with Actress/Director Joely Fisher, to secure and help coordinate large donations for the Navajo Nation. We're excited that we were able to help with the need for pet food assistance, as we know how important our animals and animal care is to our Navajo people,” Allie Young, a spokesperson for Protect the Sacred said.
Last week, President Nez and Protect the Sacred teamed up to issue a public call for medical professionals to come to the Navajo Nation to assist in the fight against COVID-19, and to provide much needed relief for health care workers on the Navajo Nation who have devoted long hours to helping patients during the pandemic.
“We are beginning to see more and more volunteers from UCSF HEAL Initiative, Doctors Without Borders, and others responding to the call for assistance. We have so many of our own who have been working very hard in our hospitals since COVID-19 reached the Navajo Nation in March and they’re very much in need of some relief. We are very grateful for the help we’ve received to this point,” President Nez added.
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