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Category: Donations

Purina Supports Colorado Pets through Ongoing Pet Food Donations

Since Colorado Pet Pantry began in 2013, Purina has donated almost 200,000 pounds of pet food and supplies to the program. This type of large-brand ongoing donation is what makes Colorado Pet Pantry’s work possible.

Thanks to Purina, we are able to plan ahead, strategize, and help as many pets as possible in Colorado with pet food assistance. Purina cares about their community and has stepped up in numerous situations with large-scale donations of dog and cat food.

Join us in saying THANK YOU to our amazing pet food donor, Purina. ❤️

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Honors Fallen K9

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with Colorado Pet Pantry to honor a fallen K-9.

A year ago, K-9 Graffit was lost in the line of duty near the Colorado School of Mines campus.

Graffit was helping sheriff’s deputies assist the Golden Police Department. The suspect was taken into custody.

Now, to honor the 10-year-old German shepherd, sheriff’s deputies are partnering with Colorado Pet Pantry to collect dog and cat items to help owners going through a tough time.

“Graffit sacrificed his life a year ago,” Colorado Pet Pantry founder Eileen Lambert said. “I know people wanted to honor his memory and give back to other dogs and cats.”

How to donate to dogs, cats in honor of K-9

Our biggest need is dry dog and cat food. Financial donations can be made here

Locations to drop off items:

“Donations continue to pour into the department. People just wanted to help,” Jefferson County Sheriff’s spokesperson Karlyn Tilley said.

The donation window has been extended until Tuesday, March 5, at 4 p.m.

Video: https://kdvr.com/news/local/donation-drive-for-dogs-cats-k-9-graffit/

Only Natural Pet Supports Colorado Pet Families

We LOVE Only Natural Pet!

This local company, founded right here in Boulder, has been an instrumental supporter of Colorado pet families for as long as Colorado Pet Pantry has existed.

In addition to monthly multiple-pallet-sized (thousands of pounds) donations of brand new pet food, Only Natural Pet donates all close to best-by date or damaged bags of pet food to Colorado Pet Pantry. THIS is how we are able to operate.

This type of product, no longer sell-able in stores, would otherwise be headed straight to the landfill. Colorado Pet Pantry rescues this pet food, and with the help of valued partners like Only Natural Pet, directs it straight into the bowls of dogs and cats who need it the most.

“At Only Natural Pet we are fortunate to be working with local partners such as Colorado Pet Pantry (CPP) who share both our values and commitment to our Colorado community. For over 10 years, CPP has been supporting our local community and we look forward to supporting CPP efforts to make a difference in the lives of pets and families for years to come.” 

~ The Team at Only Natural Pet

Thank you, Only Natural Pet, for partnering with us in our mission to reduce the unwanted pet population, and ensure that no pet family need to relinquish their beloved pet due to financial constraints or lack of resources. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, and we are so happy to have you on board.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Supports Colorado Pet Pantry

Over the last decade Hill’s Pet Nutrition has been a vital pet food donor to Colorado Pet Pantry. With thousands of pounds of pet food donated, they have consistently supported our organization. From puppy, to senior, canned and adult kibble, Hills has been supporting Colorado pet families in an amazing way.

Over the last decade, Hills Pet Nutrition has donated over 300,000 pounds of pet food to Colorado Pet Pantry!

Join us in saying THANK YOU to this company, for putting the needs of pets first.

We Love “I And Love And You”

“I and Love and You” was created in Boulder and has been a huge supporter for many years. When we called them a couple weeks ago to tell them we were very low on pet food, they jumped to assist us with a truck of donations.

Over the last ten years, I and Love and You has donated over 350,000 pounds of pet food to Colorado Pet Pantry!

During the month of January, I and Love and You has featured us as the “Rescue of the Month”! Thank you so much to this valued partner of Colorado Pet Pantry.

Supporting our food donors helps them to support Colorado Pet Pantry. Check your favorite store for their delicious and nutritious pet food selections!

Alert: WE NEED PET FOOD

Wet food, dry food, or canned – we need it.

Three years ago, when the world shut down for a pandemic, so did the pet food factories and their ingredient suppliers. Because Colorado Pet Pantry accepts large scale donations of short-dated pet food, it has taken three years for the effects of the shut down to reach us. The pet food that would have expired, literally does not exist, so the donations are nonexistent.

At our current capacity, with 100 pet food pantries, we need about 100,000 pounds of pet food to make it through each month. Our outlook on incoming large scale donations is bleak. We have asked every major pet food band out there for help (do you know anyone at any major pet food brands? If so please email us at info@coloradopetpantry.org we are open to any and all suggestions). Many have responded, but there is still a major shortfall in the amount of donations coming in and the amount we need.

Because of this shortfall, we are having to make drastic changes. Starting immediately, we are moving our pet food recipients to only receive food every three months (before it was every other month). This is a necessity if we want to continue helping as many people as possible.

What can you do to help?

Start a pet food drive in your community or place of business

  • Pet food drives are a great way to spread awareness about our organization, and provide a solution to our biggest problem – the need for more food donations. Colorado Pet Pantry started as a small community supported organization with just a few donation drop off stores. Our program only works if donations exist. And we need your help. Learn more here.

Network with your group

  • Do you know anyone who works for a pet food company? Or anywhere that we could source large-scale donations? We often partner with retail stores such as Costco, Target, Veterinary Clinics, etc. to accept any short-dated or damaged pet food bags. If you or someone you know works in a store that sells pet food, and has access to expiring pet food, please put us in touch by emailing info@coloradopetpantry.org!

Ultimately the pet food factories did start up again. The world got back to a new normal, and in the future, donations will exist. But right now, we need our community to help us bridge this gap.

Thank you, Your Friends at Colorado Pet Pantry

Start a Fundraiser for Colorado Pet Pantry on ColoradoGives.org

The amazing thing about Colorado Gives Day, is that you can amplify your gift with partial and full donation matches. This day embodies the power of community giving. When we work together, and a lot of people pitch in, we can do amazing things.

Please help us make the most of this moment in time by starting a fundraiser on ColoradoGives.org for Colorado Pet Pantry. This year, we have an ambitious goal of raising $100,000 to help feed more pets in 2024. If you would like to help us reach this goal, we urge you to take this easy-to-use fundraising platform and put it to good use.

Here are the steps to create your fundraiser on our page:

  • Click the Fundraise Button on our Organization Page
  • Select “Get Started” and make sure to have “Use Template Provided by Organization” clicked to get started right away – you can still customize this template.
  • If you choose to customize your goal, deadline, and story, you can do that here, otherwise go ahead and hit PUBLISH, and please SHARE this fundraiser with your network, co-workers, or any animal lovers you know!

Together we can make a difference in the lives of pets this season. Thank you for being an active part of our Colorado Pet Pantry community.

We Need Adult Dog Kibble

Thank you to all who responded to our need for Adult Dog Food. We truly appreciate the donations you have sent. We go through thousands of pounds of kibble each month at our pet food banks. Our need is on-going and great. If you have the means to donate pet food – an extra bag in your pantry, or anything from our wishlist, we would be very grateful! There are several different ways to donate.

If you are not able to donate right now, THAT IS OK! You can still help us by spreading the word about our need. It takes a village.

Join us for GivingTuesday and Colorado Gives Day

As we celebrate GivingTuesday today, and with Colorado Gives Day just one week away, we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight just a few examples of the impact that YOUR support has made in our community this past year.

Your donations and volunteer hours have directly helped thousands of Colorado Pet Pantry clients this year. Including Bradley who sent us this message: “I had recently fallen upon hard times and was desperate to feed my service dog who had just finished her last scoop of kibble. I suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and and I was unemployed at the time with absolutely no resources. I sent one email and immediately received a call back and was given the most sincere help and attention. Talk about a lifesaver. Quite literally. The day after I received the food,  I had a heart attack. I was unable to be at home with my service dog and thankfully I had enough food that the neighbor could feed her while I was recovering in the Intensive Care unit at the hospital. Thank you so very much for your wonderful team and volunteers.”

Your response to our call for help during times of crisis have been overwhelming. On the morning of December 30, 2021 when the Marshall Fire started, thousands of Boulder County residents were forced out of their homes so quickly that they were lucky if they were able to save their pets– very few had time to gather pet food or supplies. You came through with flying colors when we made the request for pet beds. Not only did we receive over 1000 pet beds and other supplies to give out during the two weeks that we had a table set up at the Disaster Assistance Center, but many of you volunteered your time, transportation and other resources to help our fellow community members take care of their fur babies during this extremely tough time. Liz (pictured) and her children lost their home in the fire, and Liz’s mother lost her home as well. The donations and support that you gave to help Liz take care of her two dogs after this tragedy and loss gave her one less worry and put that smile on her face.

You have helped us to expand and support our more rural Colorado communities that are experiencing a significant increase in need. We are now in 31 counties, thanks to your continual support, and we’ve found the need is exceptionally high in the more rural parts of our state. Trinidad, Swansea, Grand Junction, and Pueblo areas have also all experienced a significant increase in need. Most families have three pets, so it costs $15/month for us to help support a whole family that wants to stay together. Your support is helping to make this achievable for these families.

It’s been a hard year for many– clients and donors alike, but even a small donation on this GivingTuesday can make a lasting impact. We’d be so grateful for anything you are able to give.

To make your donation go even further, we’d love it if you’d donate to Colorado Pet Pantry through Colorado Gives Day. All donations placed here through midnight on December 6th will be partially matched.

And while we have your eyes, please take just one minute to nominate us for this $5000 award from SCHEELS. TODAY (Tuesday, November 29) IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE. This award would be a HUGE win for us on Colorado Gives Day. 

Join millions of others around the world today in giving back, spreading kindness and showing how together we can make a difference in our own communities. Your support is what makes all of this possible and we are so grateful.

Donating Made Easy!

We know that life can get busy and sometimes it’s hard to volunteer or find ways to give back. That’s why Colorado Pet Pantry makes it easy for you to help us feed local pets in need. Learn two ways you can automatically support Colorado Pet Pantry in no time.

If you’re expecting a Colorado state refund this year, we hope you’ll consider donating some or all of it to Colorado Pet Pantry. Colorado makes it easy to donate your refund to the charity of your choice. When you file your taxes, add our registration number, 20123031891, on the Voluntary Contributions Schedule (DR 0104CH) of your Colorado Individual Income Tax Return. Learn more about this easy to use and much appreciated program.

Learn More

Did you know you can support Colorado Pet Pantry just by doing your regular shopping at King Soopers or City Market? When you add us to your rewards card as your charity of choice, King Soopers/City Market will donate 3% of what you spend directly to us. In the last quarter of 2023, 633 enrolled households helped us raise $5,306.35 in donations! Visit the King Soopers/City Market page and sign up today.

Sign Up Today
dog in santa costume walking outside

Dear Santa: We’ve Been Very Good This Year!

Dear Santa:

We’ve been really good this year. Our staff and volunteers have organized new distribution and drop-off locations, forged relationships with new partners in our state, and have worked hard to educate Coloradans about the importance of helping families keep their pets home and healthy in times of financial stress.

We’d like to share our Christmas Wish List with you in hopes you can spread the word, and maybe reach into your big red bag and help us meet our end-of-year goals!

Cash Donations

Nobody knows for sure, but we suspect Santa’s Workshop is a nonprofit, just like Colorado Pet Pantry. We’d love it if you’d tell your friends and family about us, and let folks how they can make tax-deductible donations online through our website or through PayPal.

Does your employer have a corporate donation matching program? Find out here! 

It costs $4 for the Colorado Pet Pantry to help feed a pet for a full month, and it helps lessen the burden on local animal shelters who state that re-homing a pet costs upwards of $500.

Amazon Wish List

We’ve heard rumors that you’ve got a T1 connection up in the North Pole, and that you’ve contracted with Amazon to help with your workload. We can’t blame you…outsourcing is a good thing! We have an Amazon Wish List for our packaging supplies, and we’re always grateful when patrons (and oversized elves) send us these much-needed items! The next time you log on to buy something special, please think of us. Cat food, dog food, toys, pet food drive containers, and other small items don’t add much to your shopping cart, but make a huge difference to us when we portion out meals for our canine and feline clientele.

Pet Food Donations

Next time you make a run to the feed store to pick up reindeer chow, we’d really appreciate it if you grabbed a few bags of quality, non-perishable dog or cat food for Colorado Pet Pantry. You can drop it off at any one of our collection sites, and while you’re there, you can do some last-minute shopping to thank the businesses who make room in both their locations and their hearts to help Colorado pets!

Is Mrs. Claus’ cantankerous cockapoo a picky eater? We’ll happily accept open bags of kibble, as long as you seal the bag and make sure the contents and reason for the bag are clearly noted with your donation.

We also accept non-perishable dog and cat treats!

Shop HoundAbout

Santa, we’ve got a tip just for you! If your elves are behind in production this year, or you want to add some variety to your Workshop’s product line, come shop on our HoundAbout page for high-quality gifts for all the pets on your “Good Dog/Good Cat” list. Colorado Pet Pantry receives 50% of the proceeds from every sale. With free shipping available for hundreds of items in our HoundAbout online store, you’ll save wear and tear on your reindeer!

Loan us some elves?

We’re always looking for help at our warehouse, events, pet food banks, and behind the scenes at Colorado Pet Pantry. Sign up to volunteer at a pet food bank or contact us for other opportunities such as helping in the warehouse, helping with events, picking up pet food donations, etc!

Other ways to help

  • Are you getting ready to upgrade that sleigh? Donate your old vehicle, whether it’s working or not. Contact us!
  • Help get the word out by distributing posters or flyers! Contact us!
  • Does your organization want to encourage a theme of giving this season? Organize a pet food drive! Contact us!
  • Open up a corner of your workshop for a donation station! Contact us!

Happy Holidays from Colorado Pet Pantry

We love giving as much as you do, Santa. We like to think that, like you, we make families’ lives more joyous. This Holiday season, we all have a lot to do to meet our goals. Any help you can give us will make a huge difference.

Stay warm, stay safe, and spread the word!

Sincerely,

The Colorado Pet Pantry Family

How to Reduce Homeless Pets

With roughly 7.6 million animals ending up in shelters every year, the task of reducing the number of homeless pets may seem daunting. However, there are many steps that you can take to help keep pets in secure homes with the families that love them. Below are eight great ways to reduce the number of homeless pets in your community.

1) Support your local pet food bank.

Supporting your local pet food bank will help keep pets with the families who love them. There are multiple ways that you can offer support, including the following:

  • Make a cash donation
  • Volunteer your time
  • Donate pet food
  • Host a pet food drive
  • Purchase pet products that support your local pet food bank

2) Foster pets for your local animal rescue or shelter.

Fostering pets for your local animal shelter or rescue offers many benefits for pets and pet owners alike. In addition to saving animals’ lives, you help to increase the likelihood of permanent adoption by exposing foster animals to friends, family members, and other potential owners. Additionally, fostering is a simple process and foster families often receive assistance with medical care.

3) Support organizations that help cover veterinary costs.

When your pet is suffering from an illness or injury, your primary goal is to ensure that your pet receives the proper medical care quickly. Unfortunately, many pet owners find themselves unable to cover the costs of mounting veterinary bills. The good news is that there are some great organizations devoted to helping pet owners cover the cost of vet bills. By supporting organizations that help with veterinary bills, you will help keep pets at home with the families that love them. On the Front Range in Colorado, we especially love PetAid and Peace, Love, & Paws.

4) Support providers who offer spay and neuter services.

This step is especially important in low-income or rural areas where pet owners are more likely to avoid spaying and neutering pets because of the associated costs. In Colorado, organizations such as Spay Today, Dumb Friends League, CAWL, and PawsCo devote time and energy to providing solutions to low-income pet owners.

5) Microchip your pets.

The microchipping process is quick and virtually painless for dogs and cats. The procedure typically costs less than $50 and can be undertaken at your local veterinary clinic. There are many reasons to microchip your pet, including the following:

6) Train and socialize your pets to coexist with people and other animals.

Exposing your pet to other people and animals at a young age will help your pet develop a trusting, non-aggressive attitude. If you notice any problems with your pet, they should be addressed quickly to prevent negative long-term habits from forming.

7) Purchase pet insurance.

Pet emergencies and illnesses are unpredictable and can be costly. Pet owners can expect to pay an average of $800 to $1,500 for unexpected medical care for pets. Purchasing pet insurance can alleviate the strain of unexpected medical costs and can prevent your family from being ripped apart and financially drained. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is an example of a pet insurance provider that will donate $50 to Colorado Pet Pantry with each policy purchased.

8) Allow pets in rental properties.

 72% of renters own pets. Unfortunately, many of these pet owners have difficulty securing pet-friendly rental housing. Many landlords have policies that forbid renters to have pets, and owners who do allow pets often impose weight and breed restrictions. If you own rental properties or if you know someone who specializes in rental housing, you can become an agent of change by encouraging owners to allow pets.

Final Considerations

There are things that you can do as a pet owner or an animal advocate to make a positive impact on animal livelihood in your community. By following the eight steps above, you can help reduce the number of homeless pets in our country.