Pinched for Pet Food: Hunger Pains Extend to New Yorkers’ Furry Friends
Hundreds of people flocked to a South Bronx park Tuesday to pick up food for their families — pets included.
Jonathan Vicente hauled a large sack of kibble for his 3-year-old bully mix, Maria, who walked alongside him at Bill Rainey Park to one of the dozens of mobile food pantries across the city where New Yorkers can pick up pet essentials at no cost.
“She eats a lot, but I try to give her whatever I can,” said the 43-year-old, who lives alone with his dog. “It’s hard, paying all the stuff. But I try to do my best.”
Food Bank for New York City supports a network of more than 800 local soup kitchens and pantries citywide, but on Tuesday it teamed with PetSmart Charities to drum up attention for Pet Hunger Awareness Day and animals who are short of food.
Stefanie Shuman said she’s seen animal suffering firsthand. While volunteering at a community kitchen and pantry in Harlem, which serves lunch daily for older New Yorkers, an elderly man pointed to his dog outside and asked for a second plate to share with him.
“If our clients aren’t eating, their pets aren’t, either,” said Shulman, the food bank’s external communications and media director.
Last year, the Food Bank gave away 374,000 pounds of food for pets, mostly to dogs and cats.
Aimee Gilbreth, president of PetSmart Charities, said a projected 400 million pet meals will be donated this year with the help of various partners.
“When families are hungry, their pets are experiencing food insecurity with them,” she said.
Animal Care Centers of NYC, the city’s largest contracted animal shelter, offers resources to financially strained pet owners struggling to keep their furry friends.
ACC of NYC last year donated 43,000 pounds of pet food, and its Queens shelter that opened in 2024 is planning to add a vet clinic.
The organization also hosts vaccine clinics and events for spaying and neutering; last year, it helped prevent 3,813 pets from being surrendered, according to ACC of NYC numbers.
But animal surrenders are still increasing for issues that can include financial struggles. Data shows that in April alone, 671 pets were surrendered — the most in a single month since the organization began tracking the number of dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs disposed of by their owners.
City Councilmember Robert Holden (D-Queens) introduced a bill earlier this year to open at least one pet food pantry for a year before figuring out whether it could be expanded. The proposal never made it to a vote.
Food insecurity in the city has surged 76% since 2021 affecting close to 2 million people by the end of last year.
Under President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” things could get even worse for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who rely on public benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
The city is home to some of the most Medicaid and SNAP-reliant districts in the nation, especially in The Bronx.
Local grocers could feel the squeeze from these cuts, THE CITY previously reported, as some rely on federal tax breaks to stay in business.
Luis Martinez, 59, said he worries for his 3-year-old cockapoo, Lilly, as much as he does for himself.
“I came today more for my baby than for me, even though we’re both struggling,” Martinez, 59, said as Lilly jumped up to put her front paws on a treats table.
The 59-year-old Bronx man grabbed rawhides for his pet — “She loves treats, it’s why she’s a little chunky,” he said — to go with some dog food.
He said the pooch’s needs come first.
“As long as she eats I don’t worry too much about myself,” he said. “I always eat something by the grace of God.”
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