ROCKFORD — Two pet-loving organizations teamed up Saturday to help pet owners care for their animals during a winter that is off to a frigid start.

C.A.R.E. for P.E.T.S. and Kibble Korner Food Pantry handed out items in the parking lot of Second/First Church on North Church Street for more than two hours. They provided straw bales for insulation, pet food, treats and implanted microchips that can be scanned in a lost animal to identify the owner.

Stephanie Hicks, executive director of C.A.R.E. for P.E.T.S., said the groups’ mission is to help pet owners keep their animals out of shelters.

“A lot of pets are going into animal services unnecessarily,” Hicks said. “And by doing this — waking up in the morning and coming out into the cold — it is really providing support so they don’t go there. It’s a burden on our county. Pet owners don’t want (pets) to be there. Pets don’t want to be there.”

The groups provided one bale of straw per family to insulate outdoor pet areas, and recommended that pets not be kept outside in the kind of cold weather that has gripped much of the country for more than a week.

Issac Thompson of Rockford brought his 7-month-old pit bull, Django, to the event. Thompson picked up food, treats and had Django microchipped.

“As of right now, I’m off work for an injury and I just couldn’t afford it,” Thompson said. “This is just wonderful. I wish they would do more stuff like this. Then there wouldn’t be a lot of dogs running around, especially if (the dogs) are chipped. A lot of people don’t even call the pound if the dog is missing. At least with the chip, (the owners) will get a call.”

For more information about microchipping a pet, contact Kibble Korner Pet Food Pantry at 815-988-1558 or kibblekorner@gmail.com; or C.A.R.E. for P.E.T.S. at www.wecareforpets.org.

Scott P. Yates; 815-987-1348; syates@rrstar.com; @scottpyates