Sandi Bartels
I was born and raised in Clinton, Iowa, and I’ve been immersed in animals my entire life. With the Mississippi River and the woods right outside my childhood home, animals were a means of escape from my alcoholic father. I have been involved with animal welfare for the past 50 years. During my time as Executive Director for a local animal shelter, I noticed a fairly large number of seniors relinquishing their animals at a time when they needed them most. When we asked why the pet was being surrendered, it almost always came down to the fixed income of the owner and the cost of caring for their beloved pet.
My Story
This experience inspired me to create Midwest Pets For Life. I realized that for seniors, the disabled, the homebound, veterans, and the homeless, their pet may be the only tangible possession they have. It’s the reason they wake up in the morning, because the pet depends on them.
Through Midwest Pets For Life, we provide an Ani-Meals food pantry, low-cost spay/neuter services, low-cost vaccines and microchips, and adoption options when the owner is no longer capable of caring for their beloved pet. Through these services, we are keeping pets in their homes with the people who love and need them most.