When they reach their target, the buttons will be used to decorate a monument to the lost children.
"I asked the class if there was something they would like to collect for a cause and Charlie suggested pets," said Ms McKenzie. "We contacted the SPCA to see if a food drive would help them and they were over the moon."
Charlie lives on a farm with lots of animals and she owns a cat called Max, a rabbit named Mister and a pet lamb called Dot.
"I love animals and I really want to do something for them," she said. Classmates Taonga Hoeta and Hunter Browning have been helping to plan the food drive. Hunter is something of a "chicken whisperer" and manages to round up some of the school chooks for a photo.
"I have seen animals that aren't being looked after properly and it's very sad," he said. "We have two cats at home - one called Mister, who is friendly, but the other cat, Digit, just hates everybody."
Taonga said he had a 5-month-old puppy named Elizabeth at his home and he had never seen animals mistreated.
"I know it happens, though, because I've seen it on TV." The four-legged food drive starts tomorrow and donations can be dropped off at Aberfeldy School, Parapara Highway; Wanganui SPCA, 134 London St; or at Hill St Greens on the corner of Hill and Ingestre Sts.