News Archives - Colorado Pet Pantry

LA Fires: Ways to Help

This week has been emotional and all too familiar for us Coloradans. The stories and images coming from the Los Angeles fires have brought back memories from some of the scariest times in our lives. In an effort to send some much needed aid to our dear neighbors, we have created a short list of three incredible local agencies who are doing life-saving work for pet families in Los Angeles.  At this point, our sources on the ground have indicated that there is already a tremendous influx of physical supplies headed to Southern California. Donating funds will allow these organizations to address immediate and dynamic needs without the logistical challenges of storing and distributing physical items. If you feel compelled to assist, trusted groups like the ones below are working tirelessly to care for people and pets affected by the fires.

Pasadena Humane Society

They have taken in hundreds of displaced animals, and have staff and volunteers working nonstop to assist animals in need of veterinary care. Additionally, they are hosting pet food pantries to distribute food and supplies to those in-need. To help, please donate here.

Los Angeles Animal Care & Control

Mobilizing to provide critical support to those during evacuation, the animal care agency has boots on the ground and is actively out saving lives. We have highlighted their Animal Care Foundation website here.

LA Family Housing

This agency helps individuals transition out of homelessness through a continuum of housing enriched with supportive services. Their emergency response efforts have focused on these critical areas: evacuation, staffing, food, emergency supplies and equipment. To help, please donate here.

Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by this tragedy. Thank you for being part of a community that cares so deeply for pets and the people who love them, both here and beyond.

Keeping Pet Families Together – your support makes all the difference

As we approach 2025, and think about all the pets that will need assistance in the next 12 months, we want to introduce you to a family that is still together due to your foundational support.

Meet Emerald. Her words sum up our purpose so well.

“Keeping people united with loved ones, including pets, is a vital part of helping us stay physically and mentally healthy; it’s also essential for maintaining our ability to stay hopeful, which in turn, is one of the most crucial factors in any kind of recovery from economic or other traumas. I have been unhoused or housing-insecure at any given time for close to a dozen years,” she shares.

Emerald is currently living in her truck with her two dogs, Avery “Mouse” Lee (left) and Pantera (right). This family receives pet food and supplies at our Denver area locations.

“As a public health student and something of a medical resource liaison for my peers in the homeless community, I’ve both formally studied and witnessed firsthand the impacts of family separation on people in chronic trauma populations like ours.”

Families like Emerald, Mouse and Pantera are able to stay together thanks to the resources they receive from Colorado Pet Pantry, which you make possible.

Can you help pets like Mouse and Pantera stay with their loving families, with a monthly gift or one-time donation?

A gift of any size at any time is always deeply appreciated and impactful. If dividing your donation into 12 months is possible, so that you can become a monthly recurring donor, that is very powerful for these three vital reasons:

1. In 2025 we plan to host at least 341 pet food pantries that are “open to the public” (additionally, we provide food for our “mini pet food pantries” where a partner organization distributes the food). This type of assistance requires ongoing, consistent support. Pledging a monthly donation allows us to plan ahead and continue to be the stable resource that pet families need.

2. When you invest in our mission each month, you are part of the ongoing solution to prevent pets from ever entering rescues or shelters. Animal shelters often face high costs and limited resources to re-home pets, while pets themselves endure the emotional trauma of being displaced. Your monthly gift helps save shelters funds, food, and time; helping to ensure families receive the support they need, and saving pets from unnecessary stress while keeping them where they belong — with their loving people.

3. The best reason to pledge your support right now? A generous donor is challenging us to secure 40 monthly recurring donors by midnight on Tuesday, December 31st, and in turn is matching each new or increased monthly commitment of $25 or more with a donation of $250. This opportunity expires at midnight on New Year’s Eve. We need 3 more donors to meet this challenge. Please help pet families like Emerald’s and pledge your support today.

How to Start Your Monthly Donation

We are deeply grateful for your support whether monthly or one-time. Every contribution — no matter the size — will advance our mission to support Colorado’s pets and the families who love them in 2025. From feeding a pet for a month with just $5, to ensuring families like Emerald’s can stay together, your generosity makes a difference to those in need.

Wishing you a wonderful New Year, and sending a huge thank you for your continued dedication to help others. YOU make the world a better place.
~ the Colorado Pet Pantry team

Monthly Giving Match

Last week we made Colorado Pet Pantry history by raising $179,000 on Colorado Gives Day to support struggling pet families across the state. This achievement was only possible because of your generosity–thank you! While we celebrated this success, we also came up short of our $200,000 goal, a number we set for a reason. Over the past 11 years, we’ve seen a consistent increase in the need across every region of Colorado.

Now, thanks to a generous opportunity from one of our amazing supporters, we have a $10,000 match to help us achieve this goal by the end of the year.

Monthly donations provide consistent, reliable support, which allows us to plan ahead, meet growing demand, and ensure families never have to choose between feeding themselves or feeding their pets.

Set up a monthly donation of $25 or more and our donor will give $250 to amplify your impact.

Already a monthly donor? THANK YOU! If you increase your monthly gift by $25, our donor will add $250 to boost your support.

Already donating through our website? Instructions to increase your monthly donation found here.

How to Start Your Monthly Donation

Visit coloradogives.org/donate/pet
Select MONTHLY
Select AMOUNT ($25 or more)
Our Monthly Giving Match will automatically kick in $250 on your behalf

Join the Movement – Become a Monthly Donor

Stories of Impact – December 2024

“You have SAVED us from parting each other’s company!” says Kathryn in Boulder when asked how Colorado Pet Pantry’s pet food assistance affected her pet family, consisting of both this beautiful orange kitty, plus the two kitties and dogs below.

In Boulder, we partner with human food bank, Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA). We are thankful for our supporters and partners who make helping multi-pet families such as Kathryn’s, possible.

“My four rescues. Thank you for helping me keep them fed and healthy!” Kenna in Cortez shares.

In our opinion, this picture shows everything we want to see. Beautiful, loved and healthy pets giving their focused attention to the human who loves them. Our Cortez location opened up this year along with our satellite warehouse, serving the Four Corners Region in Colorado. There is a large need for pet food assistance in this area and we are honored to be able to meet this need on a consistent basis.

“I am so very grateful for all of you. I have been down for the last now three months, struggling for food. You guys gave my girls a month and a half of food and treats you didn’t shame me for needing help…” Blu and Moo’s Mom, Dianne shares.

These two dogs join us at our Lafayette pet food pantry, in partnership with Sister Carmen. Anyone can fall on hard times for any number of reasons. Colorado Pet Pantry notoriously has some of the most gracious animal lovers in existence, but on top of that, our volunteers are there because they want to help fellow pet parents maximize the level of care they give their pets. We are not here to shame or judge anyone for their circumstance. We are here because if you need pet food, we are more than happy to supply you with that bag of dog or cat food, to help you bridge the gap until your next paycheck.

“I have utilized your services once and it was incredibly helpful! Being in a situation where I could use the support the Colorado Pet Pantry provides was humbling, however, your staff was so nonjudgmental, kind and thorough that it made the experience peaceful. Saving even $50 a month right now helps a lot and the donations I received certainly exceeded that value. The thoughtfulness of your organization is exceptional.” Kris from Thornton shares.

When we reached out to clients this October, this photo of Bella was one of the first to come in. Opening the email and seeing the backlit beauty of this calico feline took our breath away. And the personal moment that her mother, Kris, shared about her one and only experience with Colorado Pet Pantry was the perfect testimonial of why we exist.

Many people often find themselves in a financial predicament and do not know where to turn. We work hard to make sure Colorado pet families know we exist, so they can sleep easy at night. If you need pet food, we are here for you. We have 28 open-to-the-public locations where those in need of pet food can simply show up and walk away with what they need. We partner with human food pantries to target our services to low-income populations. We plan to be there for pet families well into the future and we thank our donors, partners and volunteers for supporting our mission in this pet-loving state. Our impact is felt by many of our clients during the hardest times in their lives. To be a small beacon of hope for some pet families is simply an honor.

Donate Now to Support Pet Families in Colorado

December 2024 Impact Report

Download Printable PDF of Impact Report

At Colorado Pet Pantry, each year is an opportunity to strengthen our mission and reach more pets and families across Colorado. In 2024, we expanded our services, deepened partnerships, and continued the focus on ensuring pets remain with the people who love them.

2024 BY THE NUMBERS

Our numbers tell a story of resilience and growth as we expand our reach and respond to the evolving needs of Colorado’s communities.

Sustaining Families & Pets: A Year of Growth

This year, we’ve seen increasing need across the state as more families face economic uncertainty. Thanks to your support, we’ve been able to keep pace with demand, preventing the heartbreak of pet surrender for thousands of Colorado households.

Supporting Colorado’s Animal Welfare Network:

We’ve made a significant impact on the animal welfare community by helping fellow nonprofits stretch their budgets, directing more resources toward medical care and re-homing efforts.

*129,497 pounds of food is a subset of total food number listed in pet food assistance section

SPOTLIGHT ON KEY
PET FOOD PANTRIES

100% of the pet food we distribute is generously donated by individuals, businesses, and pet food brands. In 2024, we redirected one million pounds of quality pet food, often near best by dates or with blemished packaging, preventing waste, and helping feed pets in need.
See where your donations have made an impact:

Download Printable PDF of Impact Report

Spotlight on Key Pet Food Pantries

100% of the pet food we distribute is generously donated by individuals, businesses, and pet food brands. In 2024, we redirected one million pounds of quality pet food, often near best-by dates or with blemished packaging, preventing waste, and helping feed pets in need.

Donate to Support Pet Food Pantries Across Colorado

See where your donations have made an impact:

Grand Junction: We reached the Western Slope of Colorado in 2020 with the formation of our Grand Junction/Clifton pet food pantry. With coordination between Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies and Clifton Christian Church, this pet food pantry has grown to be the largest location we have.

Volunteer at the Grand Junction Pet Food Pantry

Summit County Pet Food Pantry: The newest and only expansion of 2024, we are excited to partner with another pet food pantry in an effort to serve the area of Summit County, just beyond the Continental Divide of Colorado. This area hosts a large population of pet-families, many of whom are not able to take advantage of low-income services, due to owning pets. We are here to assist these families with essential pet food needs in an effort to keep families in this region together.

We Don’t Waste – Bruce Randolph School in Denver: Our largest location on the Front Range of Colorado, opened in November 2020. Since its inception, we have distributed over 159,363 pounds of dry food, 30,775 cans of wet food to 5,789 families and their 14,715 pets. To accomplish this, we partner with We Don’t Waste, a nonprofit specializing in human food distribution, to create a one-stop-shop for the entire family (humans and pets alike) to receive pet food assistance.

Volunteer at the Bruce Randolph Pet Food Pantry

Alamosa County Fairgrounds – La Puente’s Food Bank Network of San Luis Valley: Stretching across the South Central region of Colorado is the San Luis Valley. Our pet food pantry, hosted at the local fairgrounds, in partnership with Dumb Friends League and La Puente’s Food Bank Network of San Luis Valley is a valued resource for pet owners in this area. Where the pet to human ratio is 4:1, these families need all the help they can get to keep their pets at home, and prevent the possibility of relinquishment to the over-crowded shelters.

Volunteer at the Alamosa Pet Food Pantry

Towaoc – Ute Mountain Reservation: 386 miles from our Englewood Warehouse, over six mountain passes, we reach the Ute Mountain Tribal Lands and our furthest location from our Front Range hub. This pet food pantry has received almost 100,000 pounds of kibble since its inception in January 2021.

Donate to Support Pet Food Pantries Across Colorado

Holiday Pet Food Pantry Schedule

As we navigate through seasonal holidays and various weather events, we will keep this page updated with the most current reschedules. The following are a list of pet food pantries that have been rescheduled:

NOVEMBER:

Action Center in Lakewood:
Ending at 11AM due to weather on November 27th.
Mountain Resource Center in Conifer:
Postponed to November 12th, 1-3PM due to incoming weather.
La Puentes Food Bank in Alamosa:
Postponed to November 10th, 12-2PM due to snow on La Veta pass.
Sharing Ministries in Montrose:
November 15th, 10:30AM – 12:30PM
Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies in Grand Junction:
November 16th, 9AM – 11AM
Lynn Garden’s Baptist Church Food Bank in Pueblo:
November 21st, 11AM – 1PM
Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) in Boulder:
November 21st, 2:30PM – 4:30PM
Good Sam’s Food Pantry in Cortez:
November 22nd, 12PM – 2PM

DECEMBER:

Mountain Resource Center in Conifer:
December 4th, 1PM – 2:30PM (New shorter time)
St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cañon City:
December 14th, 10AM – 12PM
The Action Center in Lakewood:
December 18th, 10AM – 12PM
Lynn Garden’s Baptist Church Food Bank in Pueblo:
December 19th, 11AM – 1PM
Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) in Boulder:
December 19th, 2:30PM – 4:30PM
Sharing Ministries in Montrose:
December 20th, 10:30AM – 12:30PM
Good Sam’s Food Pantry in Cortez:
December 20th, 12PM – 2PM
Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies in Grand Junction:
December 21st, 9AM – 11AM
Westside Community Center in Colorado Springs:
December 26, 1PM – 3PM

JANUARY:

Mountain Resource Center in Conifer:
January 7th, 1PM – 2:30PM

October is Pet Wellness Month

This October we are celebrating National Pet Wellness Month. Here at Colorado Pet Pantry, we take this subject very seriously. Part of our mission as a nonprofit is to provide pet food assistance to families with the goal of helping them increase their ability to care for their pets.

Our hope is to help ease the burden of rising pet food costs, so families can spend their precious funds on other important things, such as veterinary care.

In addition to pet food assistance, Colorado Pet Pantry also partners with nonprofit low-cost veterinary organizations, such as SpayToday Healthy Pet Center, Bergen Spay & Neuter Alliance, Docs on the Block, Harley’s Hope Foundation and CSU Spur. Through these partnerships, we are able to connect clients in our pet food assistance program to lower cost veterinary care in their areas.

Colorado Pet Pantry joins SpayToday at their July vaccination clinic.

How can you help? What can you do to support Pet Wellness Month?

There are three ways you can support our mission and increase the wellness of pets in your area:

Workplace Giving:

Simplify Your Life

Recurring donations are the crown jewel for nonprofits. The impact of a consistent monthly gift cannot be overstated. These donations provide the stability nonprofits need to plan ahead, maintain operations, and respond to growing demands. One of the most convenient ways to make a recurring gift is through payroll workplace giving programs, offering a simple and impactful way to support our mission regularly.

Many common payroll systems already have this ability. Talk to your employer about setting up contributions to Colorado Pet Pantry each pay period.

State and Federal Employees

We have exciting news! Colorado Pet Pantry was recently added as an approved charity to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) and Colorado Combined Campaign (CCC). These are unique to State and Federal employees, and have an enrollment period, happening from September 16th to the end of the year.

This is the only time of the year where you have the ability to add your charity of choice.

Stories: Monique, Mito and Smokey

Monique first learned about Colorado Pet Pantry six years ago when she was struggling financially and saw a flyer at Food Bank for Larimer County, our human food bank partner in Loveland. Feeding her human family, in addition to her dog Mito, and cat Smokey, Monique was grateful to learn that she could get help with both human and pet food, all in one place.

“Mito (pronounced my-toe) was adopted from NoCo Humane Society and it has been amazing having such a loving, sassy, goofy dog. He brings so much unconditional love and joy to our household.”

Smokey is 13 and was adopted from someone to whom Monique used to give respite care. “She is a screamer, she will make sure to wake you up for pets and breakfast. She also is a purr machine and is very soft and cuddly. It’s been a treat being able to take in a senior and help her lose weight.”

Both Mito and Smokey have food sensitivities and special dietary needs, which often requires expensive pet food. Without the help of Colorado Pet Pantry, Monique told us she would likely have to buy cheaper pet food and at times feed Mito less. “My dog does have a sensitive stomach and often needs mid to higher priced food. With him being 120 pounds, it would become very expensive. With everything increasing in price and our dollar spreading thinner, it is hard to afford any quality animal food.”

“Colorado Pet Pantry has helped when our income has reached all-time lows and allowed us to continue to feed Mito. It has helped us when we needed food to get through for our cat Smokey. It has allowed us to keep our pets healthy and happy.”

Colorado Pet Pantry’s mission is to temporarily feed Colorado pets, allowing families to increase their ability to care for pets, with the goal of keeping them out of shelters and with their families. Monique is the perfect illustration of how donating a few extra bags of pet food can help someone and their large dog feel a sense of security in supplying a quality pet food diet. She also exemplifies the strategic move on Colorado Pet Pantry’s part of partnering with human food banks to create a one-stop-shop for everyone in the family to receive food assistance. We are only able to continue this work thanks to the generosity of our donors. Please consider donating today, and with just $5, you can supply one dog or cat with 30-days worth of pet food.

September is Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month, and while we frequently think about the people who face food insecurity, we must also remember the pets who are part of these families. At Colorado Pet Pantry, we partner with human food banks across the state to ensure that pets don’t go hungry either. We work tirelessly to support pet families, but we can’t do it without your help.

Becoming a monthly donor is the most effective way to make a lasting impact. A recurring gift of any size provides steady support that allows us to efficiently plan, distribute food, and quickly respond to emergencies. It’s the best way to ensure pets in need have access to nutritious food all year long.

With your ongoing support, we can provide meals to pets, keep families together, and meet the growing demand for assistance.

Setting up a monthly donation is easy! Simply click HERE, select the “Monthly” button, then choose an amount, and know that your support will be making a difference every single month. A gift of just $25 will provide 300 meals to animals in need each month.

Set Up Monthly Donation

Support pets like Sir Odin.

Tammy is a client at our pet food pantry in Longmont with OUR Center, where she gets dog food for Odin, and cat food for Jazmine.

Like many clients we speak to, Tammy told us that without help from Colorado Pet Pantry, “I would have had to see them not be as healthy, because they would not have had a stable source of meals. If it came down to it, I would have gone without food instead, so they could eat. They are my family and best friends.”

Thank you for being part of the Colorado Pet Pantry community and for making a difference this Hunger Action Month to help pets and their people!

With gratitude,
Meredith Allin
Director of Development

New Partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital!

We are so excited to announce our new partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital!

Banfield joined Colorado Pet Pantry at our annual Raise the Woof! Party for a Cause fundraiser, to kick off what looks to be a very long partnership. Sponsoring at the very generous $5,000 Leader of the Pack level has enabled us to provide an additional 1,000 dogs or cats with 30-days worth of pet food.

Looking to donate pet food? Well, thanks to Banfield, and several of their locations inside Petsmart’s all across the Front Range and Western Slope, we are adding 21 new donation drop off points to our list! Adding 21 new donation spots to our list, we are already seeing an influx of pet food to our organization. This will make a significant impact on the number of pets that we are able to feed – especially during a time when donations have been decreasing. How does it work? Visit any of these locations during business hours and drop your donations in the bin labeled Colorado Pet Pantry. What can you bring? We accept all new or gently used pet supplies, and all pet food as long as it is not more than one year expired. We also accept open bags of pet food – just make sure it is sealed tightly and the contents are labeled.

In addition to collecting donations, Banfield staff is also helping out with the logistics and warehouse deliveries, which will help us reduce overhead costs!

If you have pet food or supply donations, please consider dropping off at one of these Banfield Pet Hospital locations in your area:

Arvada: 5285 Wadsworth Bypass, Arvada, CO 80002
Arvada West: 5736 Ward Way, Arvada, CO 80002
Westwood: 15530 W 64th Ave Ste K, Arvada, CO 80007
Brighton: 530 E Bromley Ln, Brighton, CO 80601
Brighton: 2435 Prairie Center Pkwy, Brighton, CO 80601
Denver Capitol Hill: 1330 N Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203
Stapleton: 7505 E 35th Ave Ste 301, Denver, CO 80238
Fort Collins: 4432 S College Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525
Glendale: 4300 E Alameda Ave, Glendale, CO 80246
Grand Junction: 2428 Patterson Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81505
Redstone: 2582 Patterson Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81505
Greeley: 2833 35th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634
Lakewood: 160 Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80226
Longmont: 1216 S Hover St, Longmont CO 80501
Loveland: 1715 Rocky Mountain Ave, Loveland, CO 80538
Northglenn: 10600 Melody Dr, Northglenn, CO 80234
Superior: 402 Center Dr, Superior, CO 80027
Broomfield: 16575 Washington St, Thornton, CO 80023
Bradburn: 4550 Main Street, Westminster, CO 80031
Westy: 10460 Town Center Dr, Westminster, CO 80021
Orchards: 14265 Orchard Pkwy, Suite 100, Westminster, CO 80023

To learn more about Colorado Pet Pantry and how you can help feed pets in need, please visit our webpage “Ways to Give”

September: Casting Call for Black Dogs & Furnace Checks for Charity

Fall is just around the corner and we have two magnificent fundraisers happening.

Canine Colorado Magazine

CALLING ALL BLACK DOGS!
We want YOU in this Special Edition of Canine Colorado Magazine. We have until the end of September to finish all of our photo sessions!

Each year, Canine Colorado and DelaFoto Portraits team up with one lucky animal welfare organization in an effort to raise funds for their cause. This year, DelaFoto Portraits is supporting Colorado Pet Pantry by featuring black dogs for the 5th Edition of Canine Colorado Magazine.

HOW IT WORKS:
Anyone with a black dog (50% of the coat or more must be black) goes to the Canine Colorado’s website, and books a session with DelaFoto Portraits at their Denver-based studio.

For a $250 donation, your pet will receive:

A full two-page spread in the magazine for up to two dogs (WOW!). Additional dogs and pages may be added for a fee (connect with DelaFoto on this).
One 8×10″ mounted art print from your photography studio session.
One complimentary copy of the magazine (valued at $35 or more).
A studio cinematic presentation of the best portrait session images and DelaFoto’s art consultation for any additional artwork you may wish to purchase.
A chance to be in the “Top 10 Cover Contest” taking place during the month of October.

THE MAGAZINE:
This magazine is a 50+ page tribute to man’s best friend. It is printed on thick paper stock, has wonderful stories about many of the dogs inside, and is solely created to support animal-based nonprofit organizations. Only one magazine is produced each year, and makes a wonderful gift for your family and friends during the holidays. For each magazine sold, Colorado Pet Pantry will receive an additional $15 donation from Canine Colorado.

WHY BLACK DOGS?
Black dog syndrome is a phenomenon in pet adoption where black dogs are often ignored in favor of light-colored ones. Observed by shelters and rescue groups across the world, this is an issue negatively affecting the adoption rates of black dogs. By shining a light on this (literally a studio photography light) we hope to bring awareness to this issue and showcase how beautiful these dogs really are.

Book Your Dog Today

Furnace Checks for Charity

Our wonderful friends at Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric have once again selected Colorado Pet Pantry as a program recipient for their Furnace Checks for Charity program this year!

They are offering an amazing deal for the month of September that you won’t want to miss.

If you schedule your 14-Point “Energy Squeezer” furnace systems check from Applewood during the month of September and mention Colorado Pet Pantry, 100% of your payment goes straight to Colorado Pet Pantry. Woof! Woof!

But what happens if Applewood has no availability during September? No worries, just be sure to call during the month of September. If the appointment falls in October, the donation to Colorado Pet Pantry is still active.

Normally a $199 service, Applewood offers this to our supporters for just $99. Schedule your service today by calling (303) 232-6611.

Colorado Pet Pantry’s Raise the Woof! 80s Party for a Cause – Recap

Our Raise the Woof! 80s Party for a Cause was a smashing success. It is official, we raised $100,000 to support pets-in-need across Colorado. This incredible number will supply 20,000 dogs and cats with a 30-day supply of pet food. HUGE thanks to all who came, supported, liked and shared our event across their networks. It is only because of your tremendous support that we are able to continue our work.

Special thanks goes to our event photographers Bina Photography and Soulshine Photography, who graciously volunteered their time, expertise and energy showcasing all of the amazing events throughout the evening.