Carhops Distributed Free Pet Food at This Giveback Pantry

Waiting on a malt?

You might be doing so while seated in a classic diner booth, but if you're at a restaurant with carhop service, then chances are good that you're occupying the front seat of your car, keeping watch out the windshield for your order.

But carhops can pop up in other places, especially places that a lot of people should know about for some very good reasons, even if they aren't actually restaurants.

Take East Valley Animal Services Center in Van Nuys.

Many dogs, cats, and critters are cared for at the center, which is in the LA Animal Services network.

But the location has also been recently serving as a Pet Food Pantry, a " ...community resource to assist low-income families and individuals in the City of Los Angeles experiencing financial hardship who need help feeding their animal companions."

To spotlight this service, and to remind locals to make an appointment to pick up the pup or feline food their household needs, a carhop event took place on Monday, Aug. 10.

Employees sporting carhop-style caps delivered dog and cat food straight to cars during the special pop-up. So while there weren't trays full of malts and fries, there were some excited animals seen in backseats during the happening.

If you'd like to pick up a complimentary bag of dog or cat food for your own sweetheart, you can make an appointment to do so via the site or by calling either East Valley or Chesterfield Square (the phone numbers may be found here).

You'll need to have some information on your pet handy, such as "name, weight, sex, and license number (when applicable)."

There are a few things to know prior to making your appointment, so begin here.

And while the special carhop event was just on for a day, the spirit of the moment, of anticipating something good, shines on at this great service, which has helped many Southern California families during these challenging months.