T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART Property Maintenance Services in Bridgeport collects supplies, such as dog and cat food, treats and toys for its Christmas animal drive for local animal shelters and the Road Home Animal Project to keep animals warm this winter. Shown from left are Office Administrator Jill Kernik with cat Oscar, Secretary and Treasurer Janie Kryston with dog Ray and Vice President Nikki Kryston with dog Fitz.

BRIDGEPORT — Animal lovers can donate supplies such as food and blankets to keep animals fed and warm to Property Maintenance Services in Bridgeport this holiday season.

Property Maintenance Services is having a Christmas Animal Drive, collecting supplies, including dog and cat food and treats, toys, metal bowls, blankets, pads, paper towels, bleach, cleaning supplies, old sheets and anything else that could help animals out during the winter.

The supplies will go to Kitty Komrades, the Road Home Animal Project, Belmont County Animal Shelter, Marshall County Animal Shelter and Ohio County Animal Shelter.

People can drop off donations from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays until Dec. 20 at 54440 National Road. Anyone who can’t make it during business hours can drop off their donation on the porch for the employees to pick up in the morning.

Property Maintenance Services has four of its own animals at the office, including dogs Fitz and Ray, cat Oscar and a fish, so Vice President Nikki Kryston thought it was fitting to help animal organizations this winter.

“We always try to give to something local,” she said. “And obviously we have three animals at our office, almost at all times, and everybody here is huge animal lovers, so we decided to do something different and make it geared toward animals in need in our community.”

Last year for the business’s animal drive, the back office was completely filled with donations, and Kryston is hoping the current drive goes just as well as it did last year. The drive was supposed to end Friday but because of the number of inquiries from people wanting to donate who haven’t yet made it, Kryston extended the last date to donate to Dec. 20.

Kryston believes having an animal drive takes off a lot of pressure off volunteers at the local animal shelters and the Road Home Animal Project.

Besides the holidays being a giving time, Kryston believes it’s important, especially in winter months, to help others who are spending a lot of money during this time.

Kryston believes the drive was a success last year and so far this year, She credits Property Maintenance customers for getting the word out.

“I just wanted to relieve some of the financial burden that some might feel that they want to give, but don’t have the extra cash to give,” she said. “So I think whether they’re new or old donations, whether it’s old sheets or new toys, I think that just kind of helps relieve some of the financial burden for the people and the shelters and rescues that it’s benefiting.”