5 Great Programs Where You can Donate Dog Food
As pet owners, when we lose our dogs we often have food, treats, and other pet supplies that are left unused. A great way to give back to other dog owners, and shelter animals, and help community members out is by donating your pet food and supplies. These various non-profit programs help animals in need. Pet owners can also provide monetary donations to shelters or rescues in their beloved dog’s name. Below you will find 5 great programs where you can donate your pet food and/or other pet supplies. These include Animal Shelters, Amazon Wishlists, Community Members, Foster Families, and Rescue Groups.
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1 – Animal Shelters
Most large cities have animal shelters that take in stray dogs or surrendered dogs. Many of the animal shelters, if not all, are non-profit organizations and have pet pantries. These pet pantries often store unopened and unexpired types of food for animals. When an organization is a non-profit, it means that most of its funding and supplies come from donations from local businesses, pet families such as yourself, or fundraisers. The donations of pet food will go a long way in caring for shelter pets who don’t yet have homes.
To find out more about the Humane Society, please visit their website here. If you are looking for a more local shelter, you can google your zip code and “animal shelter” and should be able to find one close by you. Their website should have their hours of operation so you know when you can drop off the dog food. Or you can call and I am sure they can help arrange a time for you to stop by and drop off the pet food donations. Be sure to check your local animal shelters’ upcoming events to help with volunteer work for animals in need as well.
2 – Amazon Wishlists (Amazon Smile)
Amazon is a fan favorite for many non-profit organizations. Amazon provides organizations the ability to create a wish list of things they are in need of and community members can easily purchase these pet supplies and have them shipped directly to the animal shelter or rescue.
The Charlotte Humane Society (my local Animal Shetler) has a wish list created here if you are interested in donating.
Reach out to your local shelter or dog rescue and find out if they have an amazon wish list you can help contribute to on an ongoing or a one-time basis. You should be able to go onto their website for an email address or phone number to speak with a staff member to find out if they have a wishlist and how to access it. With just a few clicks, you could be helping many dogs.
3 – Community Members
Unfortunately, your local community members may fall into financial hardship. In some of these instances, they may have pets that need your generous donations. Check your local free/give Facebook Groups where members may be asked to help with dog food and pet supplies.
4 – Foster Families
Without our generous foster families who are part of shelters and rescues, many dogs would not have a place to stay and recover and wait for a permanent home. Many times, foster homes take in very sick dogs or puppies who can’t be in shelters for the risk of exposure to all the other dogs. They need a little extra one-on-one tenderness, love, and care. You can find foster families in local dog foster family Facebook Groups. Or find out more information from your local shelter on how you can help donate dog food to them.
5 – Rescue Groups
Many pet lovers know about their local humane society but there are so many other non-profit dog rescues. They have dog rescues for specific breeds, dog rescues for puppies, and dog rescues for anything and everything. I bet if you did a quick google search for dog rescues and your zip code, you’d find a few in your area you didn’t know about. Facebook and other social media platforms are also great resources to look for local dog rescue groups.
Many of these rescues do not have a building where they can keep dogs. They rely solely on foster families and themselves to keep dogs in temporary homes. Giving back to these rescues by providing your leftover unopened bags of dog food, treats or even a new bag of dog food is a great way to show kindness.
Pet Supplies to Donate
There are a few pet supplies that shelters are always in need of. You can easily purchase them from Amazon, drop them off, or have them shipped directly to your local shelter. Many times the items that you donate can also be tax deductible. Below are the following items that most animals shelters are in need of:
To Sum it up
Giving back always makes you feel good. I know when Wes died, we had a lot of dog food and even heartworm and tick medication left over. We called around to a few local shelters and found the one in the most need of these pet supplies and dropped them all off one afternoon. I know Wes is up in doggy heaven smiling down on his supplies and going to another dog in need. Wes was a rescue pup and also was with a foster family so giving back to rescue organizations is near and dear to my heart.
Giving back is a great way to remember your beloved pet as well. You can donate a monetary amount in their name each year or month to your local shelter. You can find other ways to memorialize your dog here in this post.
Please comment below if you have given back to a shelter or rescue with your time or gifts. We would love to know the local shelter’s website as well so others can donate if possible.
