Should low-income pet owners be allowed to use food stamps to purchase pet food?

An online petition that has received more than 80,000 signatures wants pet food to be included in SNAP for pet food benefits.

According to the petition, 'Unfortunately, SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy pet food, leaving poor families with pets in a difficult position.'

The creator of the petition said this as they encouraged people to sign:

"Some argue that people should not keep pets if they cannot afford them, but the fact is that an individual or family's financial status can change at any time. Should someone be forced to give up a pet they've had for years just because they hit a financial rough patch? Or should they be able to utilize federal aid to continue feeding their pet?"

What do you think?