When Abigail Lightning received a call last spring asking if she wanted hundreds of dollars in free pet supplies, she jumped at the offer.

"I, of course, said yes," said Lightning, who supervises the College Park Animal Shelter, which cares for cats and dogs until they're adopted. "We're very excited about it."

The call came from Christi Fries, owner of Terrapin Pets, a pet-sitting business in Beltsville. She was organizing a donation drive that would eventually collect more than $3,500 in supplies for local animal shelters. The donations came from local residents and businesses and the time finally came to donate them Friday.

Fries spent months collecting thousands of dollars in food, collars, blankets, carriers and other items. She contacted several local no-kill shelters and arranged deliveries to the College Park Animal Shelter and Alley Cat Rescue in Brentwood, which provides short- and long-term care for cats.

"It's been very consuming. I've probably done at least 10 hours a week since May," Fries said. "[We want to do] anything that will make the life for animals coming into shelters easier."

Along the way, Fries received lots of help from generous residents and local businesses. Mighty Healthy Pet, a College Park pet store, provided free storage space and Pella Windows and Doors in Beltsville lent a truck to transport the supplies.

"When you see other people that are trying to make a difference, it really strengthens your heart," said April Bozman, a Beltsville resident who donated leashes, blankets and other items. "A little bit here, and a little bit there. It all helps."

Friday's drop-off date had added meaning, as National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week was celebrated from Nov. 1 to 7.

Shelters have been hit particularly hard during the current economic downturn, said Maggie Funkhouser, Alley Cat Rescue's communications director. The average pet owner spends more than $1,000 for a cat and $1,500 for a dog in the first year of ownership, according to Consumer Reports.

Funkhouser said the mounting costs of food, toys and medical care have forced many owners to give away their pets.

"This year's been quite high," she said, adding that Alley Cat Rescue usually cares for about 30 cats at a time but currently has about 50. "A lot of people have been contacting us not able to keep their pets."

She said government funding for many shelters has also decreased, forcing them to rely more on a generous public.

"We rely on these donations to keep us going," Lightning said. "I can honestly say without the donations we received from caring and kind people like Christi ... we will not be able to operate."