May is the month for remembering teachers (Teacher Appreciation Week), mothers (Mother’s Day), and military (Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day).
In the Midlands, May is also the month to remember to restock the Columbia Animal Services and Animal Mission’s community pet pantry with “Fill the Red Truck.” Started 17 years ago in 2009 by Shandon resident Carolyn McKenzie and six of her friends, “Fill the Red Truck” takes place each May at the corner of Heyward and Holly Streets in Shandon to fill the supply needs of the City of Columbia animal shelter through the busy spring and summer months.
The friends, who call themselves “Paws and Purrls,” gather in the front yard of McKenzie’s home in Shandon for a weekend of socializing and fundraising. Friends, neighbors, and new donors are welcome to stop by to enjoy the fun or lend a hand. Jen Coody, executive director of Animal Mission said her team “is truly grateful for this hardworking energetic team and the effort they put into supporting us each May.”
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. animal shelters and rescues in 2025. Although animals enter shelters for a variety of reasons, most dogs and cats entering shelters come in as strays (59 percent in 2025), followed by surrendered pets (30 percent in 2025) whose owners can no longer care for them due to unforeseen circumstances…