The Colorado Pet Pantry pet food bank tested the waters in 2013 with a bi-monthly pet food bank at one “human” food bank partner. Once we established that the interest and need were significant, we quickly ramped up to four monthly pet food banks in 2014. During 2015 and 2016, the pet food bank held 5 monthly pet food banks in the Denver/Boulder-metro areas, serving each neighborhood once per month with the goal of ensuring that all families in a neighborhood have the resources to consistently feed their pets, keeping them out of shelters.
Now, in 2024, CPP is the largest direct-to-client organization of its kind in the US, distributing pet food at 95 monthly pet food banks in 31 Colorado counties and assisting over 100 animal rescues with food and supplies throughout Colorado.
A note about Animal Haus: In March 2018, Colorado Pet Pantry merged with a separate local pet food bank called Animal Haus, to combine efforts and help even more people and pets. Prior to its spin-off in March 2018, Colorado Pet Pantry was a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center (CNDC).
How We Work
We partner and distribute directly out of “human” food banks because 1) they have an established relationship with the neighborhood, 2) we can leverage their administrative processes and their buildings, and 3) the availability of pet food helps to ensure that the already limited “human” food is reserved for the humans and pets receive balanced meals.
The work behind the scenes includes soliciting pet food donations, storing the pet food, increasing awareness of the pet food bank, engaging volunteers, and distributing the donated/discounted pet food to families-in-need with pets during multiple monthly pet food banks in the Denver/Boulder-metro area.
Many partners have joined us in the effort to keep pets in their loving homes, including human food banks and resources, pet food stores and suppliers, animal shelters, spay and neuter services, foundations and corporate supporters.
2023 Stats
In 2023 we distributed to 9 million meals, which fed 150,000 dogs and cats for 30 days, allowing them to be well fed and stay with their ~45,000 families. 928 volunteers have helped to make this work possible.
2022 Stats
In 2022, we distributed to 6.9 million meals, which fed 115,482 dogs and cats for 30 days, allowing them to be well fed and stay with their families.
2021 Stats
Our volunteers and staff helped families-in-need to feed 6 million meals which equates to feeding 99,785 pets for a full month throughout the state of Colorado.
2020 Stats
Our goal for 2020 was to feed 70,000 pets for a month, but due to COVID-19 and the dramatic increase in need, our volunteers helped families-in-need to feed 5.1 million meals (943,807 lbs) which equates to feeding 85,901 pets for a full month throughout the Eastern Slope of Colorado.
2019 Stats
As of 2019, we had 54 monthly pet food banks and 90 organizational members within the Animal Welfare Share Program. We distributed one month’s worth of pet food and supplies to 59,316 pets (47,388 dogs and 11,928 cats), including 716,089 lbs, and 78,768 cans. In total, we’ve served 3,558,960 meals. (3.6 million meals)
2018 Stats
In 2018, our volunteers helped families-in-need to feed 2.3 million meals (376,651 lbs) to 38,997 pets in the Denver/Boulder-metro area, Colorado Springs, Conifer, Ordway, and other parts of the state. At the end of 2018, we had 25 monthly pet food banks.
Approximately 77 frequent and 200 periodic volunteers participated in critical aspects of program delivery, contributing a total of 7,576 hours of service to the organization at a value of $212,266 ($28.02 per hour in Colorado for 2018; Independent Sector).
2017 Stats
In 2017, the organization grew to 15 monthly pet food banks with 75 volunteers giving 11,375 hours to serve 13,333 pets (food for a month) within 4,849 families. In 2017, we launched the Animal Welfare Share Program.
2016 Stats
In 2016, our volunteers helped families-in-need to feed 6,335 pets in the Denver/Boulder-metro area and in the rural areas outside of the cities.
2015 Stats
In 2015, we distributed 37,222 lbs of dry pet food and 80,142 cans of wet food, helping 2,698 families in the Denver/Boulder-metro area to feed 5,690 pets.
2014 stats
Our volunteers gave 1,100+ hours to distribute 30,553 pounds of pet food, helping 1,500 families in the Denver/Boulder-metro area to feed 3,296 pets.
2013 Stats
We distributed 10,499 lbs. of pet food, helping 426 families in the Denver-metro area to feed 858 pets.