SFDOG Launches Pet Food Pantry

Volunteers for SFDOG’s pet food pantry unload donated dog food at Mission Food Hub. photo © SFDOG

Volunteer or Donate Now to Help Struggling Pet Owners

As the pandemic continues, many Bay Area residents face increasing financial hardships and may struggle to feed and keep their beloved animal companions. SFDOG is launching a program to provide free dog and cat food to financially insecure residents to help keep pets from being surrendered. For details, read on. 

My dog Heather has been my pandemic lifeline. Like so many, I’ve been dealing with the stress of social isolation, the disruption of normal routines, no longer being able to meet friends for dinner or a movie, spending nearly all my time alone. Zoom meetings and phone calls can’t replace in-person interactions. But I do have my dog.

Heather is a terrific companion, following me around, hanging on my every word. When I come home from a visit to the grocery store, she’s there waiting, tail wagging, barking a greeting, happy to see me. She has been a ray of sunshine in this otherwise dark time and I’m lucky to be able to keep her fed and cared for. 

With the pandemic, it’s sometimes hard to muster motivation to leave the house. But Heather needs her walks, and so, several times a day, every day, we go to the park. Even standing six feet apart and wearing masks, I can still chat with my fellow humans about the latest news or Netflix must-see while we watch our pups run and play.

These trips are now the highlight of my day. They allow me to exercise my social muscles along with the physical ones – my throwing arm as I heave the tennis ball (I consider Chuckits to be cheating) and my legs as we walk together on trails. My mental and physical health get a much needed boost. And it’s all because of my dog.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate that, since I’m already retired, I have not lost a job or income during the COVID-19 pandemic. But far too many others have. This widespread financial insecurity means many people may find it harder and harder to keep their pets. 

Twelve years ago, during the Great Recession, Bay Area animal shelters reported a large increase in the number of people surrendering their pets. Many said they could no longer afford to keep their dog or cat or that they couldn’t find new housing that allowed pets. It was heartbreaking.

As the pandemic continues, COVID-19 could cause a similar increase in surrenders as people who’ve lost jobs or become ill find they can no longer care for their pets. While shelters in other parts of the country are already reporting such increases, we haven’t seen that in San Francisco… yet.

To ensure SF residents don’t face that heart-rending choice, the San Francisco Dog Owners Group (SFDOG) is partnering with the San Francisco SPCA to open a pet food pantry for people experiencing financial problems because of the pandemic. Other Bay Area shelters have been giving away pet food for months. San Francisco will now join them to help people to keep beloved dogs and cats during this challenging time.

Initially, SFDOG and the SF/SPCA will coordinate with the Latino Task Force to provide bags of dog and cat food to people in the Mission District. If this pilot project is successful, we hope to be able to expand to other neighborhoods in San Francisco.

Volunteers for SFDOG help out at the Mission Hub Food Pantry

But we can’t do it alone. We need people, especially Spanish speakers, to volunteer to help stock pre-packaged bags of pet food. We’re asking for people who can work a two-hour shift on one or more of the days the pantry is open (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). As with human food pantries, we will observe strict safety protocols. There will be no close contact with people getting the food, and volunteers will wear face masks and protective gloves, which SFDOG will provide if needed. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, we welcome your help.

If you’re unable to volunteer, you can still support the San Francisco Pet Food Pantry by making a tax-deductible contribution to SFDOG. Your donation will help families and individuals to keep their beloved animal companions despite financial hardships (unfortunately, we cannot accept donations of food from individuals, per Health Department guidelines).

I know having my own dog at home with me is practically the only thing that’s made the pandemic even remotely bearable. I cannot imagine how horrible it would be to worry about   whether I could afford food for her or to face the agonizing decision to give her up. 

SFDOG is committed to supporting dog owners during these trying times and doing all we can to help people keep their beloved pets. It’s the least we can do to repay the love, devotion, and joy our animal companions bring to our lives - especially during the pandemic.

To volunteer at the San Francisco Pet Food Pantry or to make a donation to support the purchase of food for the pantry, go to: sfdog.org/blog/help-san-francisco-families-feed-their-pets