Pet Food Pantries?

Question

I have a friend who has fallen on hard times. Things are tight and she's looking for work right now. She has one pet, a cat, and getting food is getting harder. She really doesn't want to give up her cat as she is sure this is just temporary. Are there pet food pantries like they have for people? That may be able to help her out during this rough time for her?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

There are several options. First, animal shelters or organizations may be able to help her out. Here in NYC, an ASPCA officer helped me out once, and gave me several cans of cat food to tide me over three or four days. And it is possible that some organization like this may be able to help your friend. This is a very short-term solution, just something to get her past a couple of days, but it is a help.

Another thing is pet supply stores. I don't know if the big chains canhelp or not. Sometimes chains have policies about how broken bags and dented cans of food (and litter) are to be handled, and these procedures must be followed. But individually-owned or smaller pet supply stores can help, and I know they helped me out. Some of the bags and cans do arrive broken or too badly dented to be sold. I actually got broken bags of food for nothing, as with the smaller store, the food had to be tossed otherwise, but they got a credit for saving the empty bag. So I got the food, and they kept the bag.

She could also give the heads up to grocery stores in her neighborhood, to save broken bags and dented cans for her. People can be wonderfully understanding in a pinch.

Another thing that worked for me was simply unofficial credit. They would 'give' me some food, and when I got money, I would pay them. The place sold really good cat food, and the stuff I got for him was premium, but I also selected whatever was on special.

If a pet supply store is uncomfortable with giving credit, maybe your friend could offer to stock and clean on a weekend day to pay for the food. I offered to do this, but the shop I used prefered the credit approach. And it goes without saying that they always got their money.

Finally, she can cook for her cat. When I could, I would toss a chicken and some rice in a crockpot, and both of us would feast. To his food, I would add egg yolk and a well-dissolved multivitamin, multimineral tablet. Finally, there was a sushi mretaurant, part of a chain, that at night, at closing, would toss that day's leftover sushi and sashimi out, still in the little cartons, in a nice, clean, transparent garbage bag. I would wait around the corner, and pull out the cartons that had shrimps and tuna, while they were still cold from the cooler. That was how he got his treats.

Gandhi once said "poverty is the greatest violence", and he was right. Poverty is a straightjacket. To be able, while straightjacketed, to see your best little friend full and content is psychologically health-giving and satisfying

I know this will help, because it worked for me, so I won't say 'hope this helps'.

Just wish your friend the very best for me.

Answer 2

Locate a cat rescue and give them a call. They are usually willing to help out in order to keep the cat with it's mom.

They can usually be found in the want add section of the local paper. Calling local shelter and/or humane society and through most veterinarians.

Be sure to explain the problem just as you have today.

Answer 3

I have aboit 12 or so cans of Fancy Feast Food I can send her for now. What kind of dry food does her cat eat?

What is her address? Please don't let her give up the cat. It will be sooo hard on the cat and her.

I am in the ASPCA and I love animals.....you can email me her address or give me her email and I can talk to her first if you want...then send her some food. I will go to the store and buy some dry food for the cat and send that along with my wet food to her house

My e-mail is [e-mail]

Answer 4

pet food pantries

Answer 5

I think a regular food pantry also has some pet food in it. At least it's a try

Answer 6

call local shelters they maybe able to get you a bag of food. the shelter I work at has a contract with Hills Science Diet so that is the only food that we can feed our animals there. so anyone who donates food to us we keep and will give to people who are in situations like your friend.

Answer 7

Hi

I heard on the SPCA show that they will give people who are having hard times some food for their animals. Check them out.