By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A free Christmas lunch will be served to eager diners and their four-legged companions.
The charity Pets of the Homeless with a pet food company 4Legs will stage the meal at Transit Soup Kiktchen, Narre Warren on 19 December.
Pets will get a feed, free vet checks, worming, vaccinations and grooming, as well as pet food and toys at the event.
The helping hand adds to the 200 people fed with hot meals as well as about 500 taking home grocery hampers each week at the kitchen.
The homeless pets charity was founded in 2015 to help keep people together with their pets while they’re facing homelessness.
Spokeswoman Yvonne Hong said keeping homeless people with their pets provided “company, protection and unconditional love”.
“Anyone with an animal understands that the human-animal bond is a vital part of our lives and this is no different for people who are homeless.”
4Legs marketing manager Olivia Ratten said the company was donating 25 cents from each sale of its Jingle Balls product over Christmas.
