New Yorkers who use food pantries can now pick up dog food along with the groceries. Starting October 19, 22 city-funded pantries across all five boroughs began offering free dog and cat food, according to an announcement from the mayor’s office.
It is the first time the city has paid for pet food at its own pantries. The program is a joint effort by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the City Council, the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare and the Department of Social Services. The city set aside $78 million for food distribution in fiscal 2027 and $500,000 for pet food. The pantries are spread across Brooklyn (6), Manhattan (6), the Bronx (4), Queens (4) and Staten Island (2).
“No New Yorker should have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their pets,” Mamdani said in the release. Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton added that when money gets tight, people skip their own meals before they let an animal go hungry.
What this means for your dog
If the grocery budget is stretched this month, call your nearest pantry before you go and ask two questions. Do you have pet food, and what do I need to bring? The city has not published eligibility rules for the pet food, so the answer comes from the pantry itself. Families outside New York can ask their local food bank the same question. Pet food has become a normal part of hunger relief: PetSmart Charities and Feeding America have worked together since 2017, and by 2023 more than 113 Feeding America food banks were handing it out.
The squeeze is familiar. The same cost pressure pushed vet bills up 47% since 2019. A bag of kibble costs less than a surrender.