Nominated by Monica Forrest.

Kristin Cheney started and runs a nonprofit charity, Seniors With Pets, in Tacoma, Wash. This charity provides free pet food to people 55 or older who are on a fixed income. People can come in to pick up their free pet food or if they are homebound, volunteers deliver the food to their homes. Seniors With Pets provides pet food for more than 500 dogs and cats every month. All dogs and cats in the program must be spayed or neutered to continue receiving free food. Seniors With Pets relies heavily on volunteers and donations to provide free pet food for the local seniors. I was so impressed by Kristin’s love for pets and her willingness to provide for the pets of local seniors (even if it means paying for the food herself when donations get low or storing large donations at her own home) that I volunteer a few hours a week to help get pet food ready for distribution. Kristin’s contributions through her charity organization have allowed local seniors to keep pets they may not otherwise be able to feed and has encouraged the control of the pet population by requiring the pets to be spayed or neutered. I am proud to nominate this great person for the Animal Planet Hero of the Year Award. I can think of no one who has sacrificed so much for the animals of Tacoma. Kristin truly deserves to be rewarded.