[birds chirp]

Angela Fitzgerald:
Like most dog owners, Vicky Van Lare is paid in big, wet kisses.

Vicky Van Lare:
Thank you, thank you.

Angela Fitzgerald:
Roxz is her special needs pitbull terrier.

Vicky Van Lare:
Who’s that? Is that Miss Roxz?

Angela Fitzgerald:
Roxz is also the face of a Milwaukee charity that helps people and pets get through difficult times.

Vicky Van Lare:
Is that the blue box?

Angela Fitzgerald:
Oh, goodness, the blue box is here! Does that mean more donations?

Vicky Van Lare:
Is that more donations for you? [Roxz barks]

Angela Fitzgerald:
This is all dog and cat mixed in here. It’s freeze-dried food. The goal is to not have so many animals in the shelters because the people cannot afford pet food. That’s my ultimate goal.

Angela Fitzgerald:
Besides her garage, the Free Pet Pantry has taken over Vicky’s basement.

Vicky Van Lare:
All right, hi, Roxz. We’re gonna go down. We gotta go help some people. We will see lots of supplies in our basement. Over here, we have all of our collars, leashes, and harnesses. Extra box of toys. So over here, we have a lot of wet food. Extra litter. We even have, like, little blankets for cats.

Angela Fitzgerald:
Vicky’s heart is full, and so is her house.

Vicky Van Lare:
When we bought this house, it was never in our dream or imagination to ever run this big, huge pet pantry.

Angela Fitzgerald:
Vicky is a dog mom to four large pups.

Vicky Van Lare:
You’ll get to meet Roxz and Bruno and her other friends, Ty and Jasmine. Treats, come on, Ty. Come on, let’s get treats. Come on, treat time! Yay!

Vicky Van Lare:
Ty is our very first rescue. He came from a high-kill shelter in Alabama. Jasmine is a purebred red heeler. She’s kind of the queen of the house. [laughs] Roxz is, obviously, the face behind Roxz’s Resources & Awareness. She’s a spunky, spicy little girl. And then Bruno, or AKA, the house hippo. He is a foster fail. His expressions are priceless. [laughs]

Angela Fitzgerald:
Her four-legged friends helped Vicky get through the pandemic, with a lot of soul-searching.

Vicky Van Lare:
I volunteered for a rescue that is no longer in town. COVID pretty much took them away, and it was really sad. Never imagined this, but I knew the need, and I decided to take on it myself and do it. We have fed 645 families.

Vicky Van Lare:
In a month, we’re probably going through about 1,000 pounds of food and 200 pounds of cat litter. It all depends on what the need is that month.

Angela Fitzgerald:
Starting the charity and the constant search for food could be overwhelming.

Vicky Van Lare:
There were some days that I’ve struggled, I’ve cried. Yes, I had a bad day today, but I got my big girl panties on. Watch out, world, because here I come! [laughs]

Angela Fitzgerald:
That’s where the second part of Vicki’s passion comes into play. Her quest to destigmatize pitbull breeds.

Vicky Van Lare:
Come here, let’s get your harness on. We are a group that goes out and educates people on pitbull-type dogs. They are not born evil. They are very loveable. Come on! Good boy. People make them evil. People treat them to fight. Rescues are picking up that mess. Shelters are picking up that mess. We’re tired. We are beyond tired of picking up other people’s messes.

Angela Fitzgerald:
The task may be tiring, but Vicky’s passion for Roxz’s Resources & Awareness endures.

Vicky Van Lare:
They need the help, they need the help. They leave my house in tears. Then I end up in tears. So I’ve learned to have Kleenex in my garage. [laughs] I just really feel that’s what I was called to do, to help animals. It was just always my passion, and just to stay with them to the end. Just you and I. What do you say? Yeah? You wanna stay?

Vicky Van Lare:
Yeah.