When Compassion Fill Pet Bowls
The choice no pet owner should ever face came into sharp focus this December at the Port Colborne Pet Valu store—feed yourself or feed your best friend.
For Nicole Tobias, the store's owner, that impossible decision hits close to home. "Everybody deserves to eat, no matter who it is," she says. "And if you have to choose between you and your pet, I'd like to be the helping hand that allows you to do both."
That philosophy drove her to donate nearly 1,000 pounds of pet food to Port Cares' food bank last month, a lifeline for families on the brink of surrendering their companions to shelters or worse.
Nicole's connection to animals runs deep. Raised in a home filled with dogs, cats, and reptiles, she's built her entire career around pet welfare. Her 20-year journey with Pet Valu, from sales associate to groomer to owner since August 2021, has given her afront-row seat to both the joys and struggles of pet ownership.
"Rising costs are affecting everything," Nicole explains. "We're seeing people who desperately want to care for their pets but don't know how they'll manage."
Some people see pets as luxuries families can't afford during hard times. Nicole sees the opposite.
"When you see somebody even walk through a door here with their dog or even their cat, the smile on people's faces illuminates the area," she says, her voice warming. "Like, people just get to be so happy."
That happiness isn't trivial, it's survival. Pets provide emotional support, reduce anxiety, and give people reasons to get out of bed. For struggling families, a pet might be the only source of unconditional love and stability they have.
"I think it gives a sense of calm, especially when it is a hardship," Nicole reflects. "If there's somewhere that they can go for a meal or two to get for their pet until they can get on their feet, I think that alone is providing overall health to the family."
The massive festive donation came through Pet Valu's Santa picture fundraiser, with Port Cares chosen as the beneficiary. But this wasn't a one-time gesture. A donation bin has sat inside Pet Valu for years, quietly collecting donations for local families in need. Nicole has watched customers regularly drop off supplies, proof that compassion exists even when wallets are tight.
Nicole's plea to the community is direct, "Get involved, no small amount is too little, everything can make such a large impact in somebody's life."
"I’ve been very fortunate, and I’ve seen firsthand that some days are harder for others," she says."Professionally, it goes the same. My heart just still sits with pet ownership and making sure that pets are looked after as well."
"They say it takes a village to raise somebody," Nicole says, pausing. "Well, it can take a village too to just lend a helping hand."
Through Pet Valu Port Colborne, in collaboration with Port Cares, the village is showing up, because Nicole refuses to watch another family torn apart by something as solvable as hunger.
Nearly 1,000 pounds of petfood. Countless families kept whole. One woman who decided "no" to impossible choices.
Pet food donations can bedropped off anytime at Pet Valu Port Colborne. If you or someone you know needs help with pet food, Port Cares is here to support you.
