Food insecurity affects millions of families and their companion animals each year. Financial hardship can make it difficult to provide nutritious food, supplies, and veterinary care, often forcing families to make heartbreaking decisions between feeding themselves and feeding their pets.
The Shopping Guides, Donation Guides, and Pet Pantry Toolkit were created to help pet owners, food banks, shelters, rescues, community organizations, and volunteers provide safe, nutritious, and affordable pet food while reducing waste and keeping families together.
Our goal is simple:
Healthy Pets. Healthy Families. Stronger Communities.
Keeping pets with their families benefits everyone.
Pet food assistance can:
Reduce pet surrender to shelters
Support families during financial hardship
Improve pet nutrition
Reduce community homelessness of companion animals
Strengthen the human-animal bond
Support One Health initiatives
Improve public health and animal welfare
Many pet owners only need temporary assistance to remain together with their beloved companions.
Choosing nutritious foods while staying within a budget is possible.
Our shopping guides help you identify foods that provide good nutrition and value.
Choose foods that are:
✅ Complete and balanced
✅ Appropriate for the pet's life stage
✅ Produced by reputable manufacturers
✅ Within expiration dates
✅ Properly sealed
✔ Compare price per pound—not just package price.
✔ Buy larger bags when practical.
✔ Watch for manufacturer coupons.
✔ Use store loyalty programs.
✔ Purchase during sales.
✔ Consider warehouse clubs for multi-pet households.
✔ Compare dry and canned food prices.
Many store brands provide complete nutrition at affordable prices.
Examples include:
Kirkland Signature
Special Kitty
Heart to Tail
Pure Balance
WholeHearted
Authority
Simply Nourish
American Journey
Always verify that products are complete and balanced for the appropriate life stage.
When purchasing pet food:
☐ Check expiration date
☐ Inspect packaging for damage
☐ Read feeding guidelines
☐ Confirm life stage
☐ Store properly after purchase
☐ Buy only what can be used before expiration
Choose foods based on:
Puppy
Adult
Senior
Weight management
Medical conditions
Large vs. small breed
Look for:
Named animal protein
Appropriate calorie content
Balanced vitamins and minerals
Cats require:
High-quality animal protein
Taurine
Essential fatty acids
Complete and balanced nutrition
Consider feeding:
Dry food for convenience
Wet food for additional hydration
Combination feeding when appropriate
Pet food donations help families keep their pets during difficult times.
The following items are always appreciated.
Puppy food
Adult dog food
Senior dog food
Small breed formulas
Large breed formulas
Kitten food
Adult cat food
Senior cat food
Dry food
Wet food
When accepted by veterinary partners:
Kidney diets
Urinary diets
Gastrointestinal diets
Weight management diets
Diabetic diets
Only unopened prescription foods should be donated unless local policies allow otherwise.
Pet pantries often need:
Stainless steel bowls
Food storage containers
Measuring cups
Leashes
Collars
Harnesses
Cat litter
Litter boxes
Scoopers
Waste bags
Pet beds
Blankets
Towels
Toys
Scratching posts
Nail trimmers
Grooming brushes
Some organizations also accept:
Flea prevention
Tick prevention
Dewormers
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Ear cleaner
Shampoo
Nail clippers
Only donate unopened products within their expiration dates.
Please avoid donating:
❌ Opened food
❌ Expired food
❌ Damaged bags
❌ Moldy food
❌ Homemade pet food
❌ Prescription medications
❌ Recalled products
❌ Broken equipment
❌ Food stored improperly
Safety always comes first.
Donating pet food and supplies can make a meaningful difference for families experiencing financial hardship while helping keep pets in loving homes. Before donating, contact the organization to confirm which items they currently accept and any packaging requirements.
Consider donating to:
🐾 Local animal shelters and humane societies
🐾 Pet food pantries and community pet banks
🐾 Animal rescue organizations
🐾 Food banks that distribute pet food
🐾 Homeless shelters with pet-friendly programs
🐾 Domestic violence shelters that accept pets
🐾 Veterinary clinics that operate community assistance programs
🐾 Senior centers and Meals on Wheels programs that provide pet food assistance
🐾 Community outreach organizations serving individuals experiencing homelessness
🐾 Faith-based organizations and neighborhood mutual aid programs that operate pet food drives
🐾 Feeding Pets of the Homeless, which provides pet food, emergency veterinary care, and a nationwide network of pet food donation sites for people experiencing homelessness.
Donation Tip: Unopened pet food that your own pet can no longer use—such as food left over after a diet change, allergy diagnosis, or the loss of a beloved pet—can often help another family. Always check that food is unopened, within its expiration date, and accepted by the receiving organization.
For additional pet food pantry locations and donation sites across the United States, visit Feeding Pets of the Homeless
Generally, no. Most organizations only accept unopened food in its original packaging to ensure safety and quality.
Adult dog food and adult cat food are usually in the highest demand, followed by kitten and puppy food, canned food, and specialized diets.
Yes, if they are unopened and accepted by the receiving organization. Check with the organization before donating.
Absolutely. Volunteers are essential for sorting donations, distributing food, assisting clients, organizing events, and educating the community.
This guide is based on recommendations from:
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) https://www.aaha.org/
American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) https://aha.vet/american-association-of-feline-practitioners-aafp/
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) https://www.avma.org/
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) https://www.aafco.org/
Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) https://www.sheltervet.org/
Feeding Pets of the Homeless https://petsofthehomeless.org/
Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States) https://www.humaneworld.org/en
World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) https://wsava.org/
Peer-reviewed animal welfare and community support literature
The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every pet has unique nutritional needs based on age, species, health status, and medical history. Pets with chronic illnesses or special dietary requirements may require therapeutic diets prescribed by a veterinarian. Consult your veterinarian before making significant changes to your pet's diet.