If someone is that poor, they don't need to be adopting pets. I'm poor and over-petted, and I really resent seeing people glamorize pet ownership at all costs. I struggle to pay for everything they need while making sure there's enough for my child, and I feel fucking trapped. No one wants my adult cats, and after exhausting my options for rehoming, I can't bring myself to dump them somewhere -- but I see why people do it. I adopted these pets in a place in my life where caring for them was easy, but I struggle to make ends meet now, so they're just mouths to feed. There's no assistance for their care, and I'd have more breathing room financially if I had fewer animals to care for.

I sincerely appreciate that you're not judgemental about people feeding inexpensive grocery store brands, and I'm not trying to be antagonistic with you. I get the impression you're no longer in the pet industry, but since it's something you're so passionate about, please think twice about encouraging or glamorizing pet ownership among poor people. By all means, if someone is confident they can make it work on their income, go for it, but if someone tells you they don't think they can afford food or veterinary care, believe them. It does not benefit the animal to go home with someone who can't afford their care.