Getting Free Dog Food
Check out local pet food banks. Some major cities have pet food banks to provide free dog food to people who cannot afford it. Some of these organizations are geared towards specific populations. For example, PAWS NY offers free pet food to seniors and people with disabilities who may struggle to provide for their pets. Try calling your local shelter to see if they know of any pet food banks in your area.
Ask a regular food bank if they have any dog food on hand. Some regular food banks also have pet food available. If you are eligible to receive food from a food bank in your area, then try asking if they have any dog food available. Try saying something like, “I am also having trouble affording food for my dog. Do you have any dog food available?”
Visit your local shelter. Some shelters have enough food on hand that they can share with pet owners in need. In fact, a shelter may be happy to share with you if it will help you to continue to care for your dog. Otherwise, surrendering your dog may be the alternative. If you cannot afford your dog’s food, then try calling your local shelter and saying something like, “I am having a hard time affording my dog’s food right now. Do you have any extra dog food that I could have?”
Contact non-profit groups. There are many local and national non-profit groups that provide food and veterinary care for pet owners who cannot afford the costs of these items. Some examples include Pets of the Homeless, Onyx and Breezy, and the Mosby Foundation Check to see what groups are in your area and ask about the resources that they offer. Keep in mind that most of these organizations require you to complete an application and provide documentation to show that you are experiencing a financial hardship.
Call your veterinarian’s office. Although your veterinarian may not have food available to give you, they might be able to steer you towards some good local resources for free dog food. Give them a call and ask. For example, you could call and say something like, “I am having trouble affording my dog’s food. Do you know about any local organizations that can help me?”
Getting Discounts and Samples
Clip coupons out of the newspaper. Dog food manufacturers will provide coupons in the coupon section of your Sunday newspaper. Try picking up a newspaper each week and clip out any dog food coupons that are included. Make sure that you check the expiration date on any coupons that you collect. Some may only be good for a couple of weeks while others may be good for several months.
Search for coupons online. Some manufacturers may also make coupons for their products available online. Try searching the brand name of a dog food that you normally feed your dog and the word “coupons.” Keep in mind that some manufacturers may require you to provide an email or other personal information in exchange for a coupon.
Contact dog food companies to ask for coupons and samples. Another option for getting coupons and even some samples of your dog’s favorite food is to write to the company. Visit the company’s website to find out how to contact them and compose an email or letter to the company to request coupons and samples. Try writing something like: “My dog really loves (name of dog food, be specific about the type and flavor)! However, I am having some trouble affording the cost of his food right now. Would you be willing to send me some coupons and/or samples?”
Watch for sales to maximize coupons. The best way to maximize your coupons is to use them in conjunction with a sale. This will ensure that you pay the least amount of money for your dog’s food. Watch the ads for your local grocery and pet food stores to find out when your dog’s food will be on sale. Sometimes you can even use a manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon to save even more money. Try to collect as many coupons for your dog’s food as possible to maximize your savings. Watch for fine print. In some situations, you may not be able to use a coupon if the item is already on sale. Try to avoid these kinds of coupons because they will not save you as much.
Ask local pet stores for samples. Pet food stores often have samples of pet food on hand to give to customers. These samples might only be enough for one portion, but you will still save a bit of money if you get a sample every time you go to the store. Try asking for samples at local pet food stores. For example, you can say something like, “I am really interested in this product, but I’d like to see if my dog will eat it first. Do you have any samples available?”
Maximizing Your Donations
Identify your reasons for needing the food. One good way to increase your chances of getting free dog food is to think about why you need the food. By identifying the reason for your need, you can include this reason in your request and this may help to sway people in your favor. Identify your reason so that you can work it into your requests. For example: Are you fostering a dog who was abused or homeless? Have you recently fallen on hard times financially? Is your pet having medical issues that have increased his overall expenses?
Mention the reason for your need when requesting free dog food. After you have identified the reason for your need, you will need to figure out the best way to work it into your request. You should not lie or exaggerate the truth. Just be honest about your reason for needing the food when you make your request. If you are fostering a dog, then you might say something like, “I am currently caring for a dog that was neglected by his previous owners. I am happy to help him, but the cost of food is more than I expected and I am struggling a bit.” If you are having personal finance problems, then you might say something like, “I recently lost my job and that has made it even harder to afford important necessities like food for myself and my dog. If your pet is having medical issues, then you might say something like, “Rufus had to have surgery last month and the cost of that has put a strain on my finances. I would really appreciate any help that I can get right now.”
Compliment the agency after making a request. Putting your request first and then offering some praise to the agency that you are requesting food from may improve your chances. For example, you might say something like: “I am calling to request a dog food donation for myself and my dog. I am struggling to afford my dog’s food and I thought it would be a good idea to call your organization because of all of the wonderful things that you do for animals in our community.”
Look into local pet-based social media groups. There are many pet-based social media groups that may also be happy to help you with the cost of food for your pet. Try joining one of these groups and posting a request for help. Keep your request short, simple, and straightforward to increase your odds. Make sure that you include: your dog’s name a few details about your dog (breed, personality, etc.) a picture of your dog a direct request for dog food donations a brief explanation of the reason for your need
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