Pet Food Banks Across the United States Offer Free Pet Food and Cat Litter to Those in Need

Most of us have heard about the food banks and food pantries that are cropping up all across the United States to feed hungry people as the recession deepens but how many of you are aware of food pantries for pets? That’s right… pet food pantries and pet food banks are opening up state by state to help pet owners keep their beloved “furries” and “purries” home with them and out of the animal shelters and Humane Societies.

Authorities across the U.S. are reporting an increase in abandonment of pets as people leave their homes due to a variety of reasons ranging anywhere from foreclosure to moving in search of jobs.

These people just leave the dogs and cats in the house to die, they’re broke and desperate. According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, dogs have been found in empty houses several weeks after a person has moved away.

These dogs survive by drinking toilet water. Other dogs are left chained outside, while still others are turned loose. These are the lucky ones…all too many are found dead.

Some people give their pets to friends who later decide to take them to either the Humane Society or Animal Control because they don’t really want the animal.

Too many people are taking their beloved pets to shelters because they can no longer afford to feed them due to the recession. In 2008 the Humane Society of Kent County, Michigan reported taking in an alarming 8,000 to 10,000 animals.

In 2007 Atlanta shelters euthanized over 3 million healthy pets, while in 2008 Los Angeles euthanized 15,000.

According to Allie Phillips, director of public policy at the American Humane Association, “Abandoned pets have become a national issue. This has really become an epidemic.”

According to Phillips 8000 houses go into foreclosure everyday which puts 15,000 to 26,000 more pets in danger of losing their homes each and every day across the United States.
“Many of them will be euthanized.” She concluded.

According to the Humane Society between 3 and 4 million pets are euthanized across the U.S. annually.

Volunteers of pet food pantries say that they no longer see just lower income people coming in for free pet food. They are also seeing middle class white- collar workers, elderly -whose family members were helping with expenses but due to the recession can no longer afford to do so, military spouses who cannot find jobs, students who’ve lost part-time jobs and high earners with high bills.

Some people are embarrassed. It’s hard to lose your job and have to ask for help.
I’ve composed a short list of a few pet food pantries across the United States and I encourage you to go online to find one in your area if you are in need of help for your pet.

Frederick County, Maryland has a food bank run by the Humane Society at 217 W. Patrick St. Frederick, Md. Phone Number 301-694-8300

Charlotte-Mecklinberg Police Department Animal Care and Control 601 E. Trade St. Charlotte, N.C. Phone Number 704-376-1785

The Kibble Konnection is a pet food pantry run by the Humane Society of Kent County, Michigan Phone Number 616-791-8066

The Salvation Army of Kenosha, Wi. 3116 75th St. Kenosha, Wi. Phone Number 262-564-0286

Blooming Cookies 150 Ottley Dr. Atlanta, Georgia Phone Number 800-435-6877

Save Our Pets Food Bank Phone Number 404-872-7708 Atlanta, Georgia

Daffy’s Pet Soup 2160 Oakland Industrial Ct. Suite 100 Lawrenceville, Georgia Phone Number 404-345-6821

Meals Fur Pets 431 Latimer St. Atlanta, Georgia Phone Number 678-520-2236

The Humane Society of Moab Valley, Utah at 765 Main St. #5 Phone Number 435-259-4089

Pet food pantry in West Union, West Virginia Phone Number 304-873-3500

Pet Pantry in Mt. Vernon, Ohio Phone Number 740-397-4825

The Southborough Police Pet Food Pantry in Southborough, Massachusetts Contact Officer Meredith Lobur at 508-485-2147

Pet Pals Of Texas in Converse, Texas Phone Number 210-658-8821

Animal Welfare League 10305 Southwest Hwy, Chicago Ridge, Il Phone Number 708-636-8586

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 2685 Chanticleer Ave. Santa Cruz, Ca.Phone Number 831-465-5000

Pet Pantry LLC, 4455 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington D.C. Phone Number 202-363-6644

Lincoln County, Maine contact Betsy Pratt 207-882-9677

Hancock/Washington Counties, Maine Call 207-422-6282

Westbrook, Maine call 207-854-9771

Portland, Maine call 207-541-9247

Bangor, Maine call 207-941-2865

Houlton, Maine call 207-532-2862 or 1-800-781-8550

Somerset County, Maine call Del Pomerleau 465-2906

York County, Maine call 324-1137 or 324-8811

The Pooch Pantry in Mundelein, Il Phone Number 847-566-1960

Pike’s Peak Pet Pantry in Colorado Springs, Co. Phone Number 719-217-9528

Oklahoma City Pet Food Pantry, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Phone Number 405-297-3100

St. Charles Humane Society 1099 Pralle Lane, St. Charles, Mo. Phone Number 636-949-9918

Yorkville Common Pantry E. 109th St. Manhattan, New York City, New York Daniel Reyes Program Director Phone Number 212-288-3233

St. Joseph Animal Rescue Fund Pet Food Pantry St. Joseph, Michigan Phone Number 269-279-6251

Grand Haven family owned pet pantry Grand Haven, Michigan Phone Number 616-607-8921

Pet Pantry of Spring Lake, Michigan email: petpantry2009@yahoo.com
Armada Pet Food Pantry Armada, Michigan Phone Number 586-784-8940

Ellie’s Pet Pantry @ Western Pennsylvania Humane Society contact Donna Bucek Phone Number 412-321-4625 x222

Humane Society of Huron Valley 3100 Cherry Hill Rd. Ann Arbor, Michigan Phone Number 734-661-3525

Pet Food Pantry @ Cascades Humane Society 1515 Carmen Dr. Jackson, Michigan Phone Number 517-787-Pets

Coheco Valley Humane Society, Dover, NH Phone Number 603-749-5322 x105

Actors and Others for Animals: Pet Food Distribution 11523 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, California Phone Number 818-755-6045

Central Florida Animal Pantry info@animalpantry.org

Community Pet Pantry Fort Meyers, Florida Phone Number 239-533-9292

Pet Food Pantry of Knoxville, Tennessee Phone Number 865-215-6599

People United for Animals, Inc. P.O. Box 1882, Bristol, Tennessee Phone Number 423-989-7832
To find a more complete list of pet food pantries nationwide go to:

network.bestfriends.org/foreverhome Then click on Resources, then click on pet food banks nationwide-listed alphabetically by state, then city

If you are in need of help with pet food or cat litter, I urge you to look around your area…make phone calls to your local Humane Society and animal control, local veterinarians might also be able to advise you where to locate help. Don’t give up and don’t take your pet in to be euthanized…they have so much love to give you…they haven’t given up on you…please don’t give up on them…

Also, if you are weathering the recession financially and would like to help, you can, all of the pet food banks and pet food pantries are in dire need of financial assistance and food donations.