How to Donate Pet Food

Donating pet food to area shelters is a wonderful way to help dogs get the nutrition they need while they are waiting for adoption. Many area shelters, animal hospitals and foster pet homes welcome donations of food for the dogs and cats they care for. In this economy, budgets for animal shelters are at risk, so any donations offered to the animal care facilities are gladly welcomed.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry dog food
  • Canned dog food
  • Dog biscuits
  • Dog treats
  • Dehydrated dog treats
  • Meaty bones for chewing and gnawing
  • Carrots used for treats
  • Rawhide chews of all sizes
  • Kongs with filler
  • Cow hooves
  • Pig's ears
  • Bully sticks
  • Freeze dried liver
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get in touch with your local animal shelter to find out the business hours and ask if the shelter needs any particular pet food item more than others. If you happen to have extra dog food that you don't need, by all means, bring it to the dog shelter. All donations are usually taken and stored if the shelter doesn't need it right away.

    • 2

      Check sales flyers and cut out coupons for dog food to get the most for your money. Keep in mind that the dog shelter houses a variety of dog breeds, large and small, young and old. Try to pick up pet foods that are beneficial to senior dogs, active adult dogs, overweight dogs and puppies. All dogs have different needs, so the more types of dog foods available to the shelter, the healthier the dogs will be.

    • 3

      Check the FDA website for the recalled dog food list. Recently, many dog food brands have been recalled due to contaminated vegetables that were causing sickness and death in dogs and cats. If you have any dog foods in your home that you are planning to donate, make sure to check that they are not recalled brands.

    • 4

      Find a pet food store in your location. PetSmart and PetCo are very large pet food suppliers that carry quality dog food and a huge variety of treats. If you can't travel to one of these pet food stores, supermarkets and department stores also stock many quality dog foods. Check any Feed and Farm stores in your area also. They often carry pet food in bulk for a more economical price.

    • 5

      Drop the pet food off at the dog shelter, animal hospital or foster dog care home at a time agreeable to everyone. Be sure not to leave the dog food outside at the shelter's door or at a foster home. Squirrels, raccoons, birds, cats and even coyotes or foxes can get into the bags if unattended.