Should low-income pet owners be allowed to use food stamps to purchase pet food?

A

launched online has received more than 80,000 signatures, and it calls for pet food to be included in SNAP, or food stamp benefits.

Currently, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits only cover food for people.

The person who created the petition wrote: “I am one of those Americans.” They said after receiving SNAP benefits for a few months, they are “unable to feed my little dog due to government regulations.”

The creator of the petition said this as they encouraged people to sign:

“Some argue that people should not keep pets if they cannot afford them, but the fact is that an individual or family’s financial status can change at any time. Should someone be forced to give up a pet they’ve had for years just because they hit a financial rough patch? Or should they be able to utilize federal aid to continue feeding their pet?”