Difficult economic times in recent years have led to heartbreaking decisions for many pet owners. Now a non-profit offers food stamps for pets that families can get support for their pets.

The Wall Street Journal spoke with the founder of the privately funded nonprofit that allows people on government assistance to apply for free pet food. Currently pet food is on the no-buy list if you're using food stamps, but there are still people struggling to provide sustenance for their furry friends.

Launched in February, Pet Food Stamps has received over to 160,000 applications from needy families across the country. Marc Okon is the charity's founder.

"Hundreds of thousands of pets a year are put to sleep, simply because the owners can't feed them," Okon said.

The founder says he was moved to create the program after a friend of his fell on hard times.

"She told me she sometimes fed her cat before herself," he said.

He says the group has been hit with an overload of applications, with applicants explaining in detail how the economy has trampled all over them, and by extension, their pets.