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More Than Kibble: A Lifeline for Pets at the Food Bank

More Than Kibble: A Lifeline for Pets at the Food Bank

Keeping beloved companions fed across Los Angeles County

Animals bring comfort, joy, and unconditional love into our lives. For the families served by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, that love runs just as deep, even when putting food on the table is not guaranteed. In 2025, the Food Bank helped ensure families did not have to choose between feeding themselves or feeding their pets.

Keeping Families and Pets Together

For many neighbors facing food insecurity, pets are cherished companions and steady sources of comfort. Seniors depend on them for daily connection. Children find reassurance in a loyal dog or gentle cat. In uncertain times, that bond matters more than ever.

When budgets are stretched thin, pet food can become an added strain. No family should have to make the heartbreaking decision between groceries and a bag of kibble. By providing pet food alongside nutritious food for households, the Food Bank helps relieve that pressure, keeping pets where they belong: at home, with the families who love them.

Supporting Beloved Pets in 2025

In 2025, we distributed 4,985 bags of dog and cat food—totaling 79,760 pounds—through our partner agencies across Los Angeles County, providing meals for thousands of pets. Each pound represented one less worry for a neighbor already juggling rent, utilities, and other essentials.

Providing pet food helps stretch limited budgets and brings meaningful peace of mind. Families can focus on meeting critical needs without sacrificing the well-being of their beloved companions. The impact reaches beyond the food itself. It strengthens stability and preserves the bonds that make a house feel like home.

A Lifeline at Eastmont Community Center

A crate on the ground holds a paper bag of groceries and a large bag of dog food, highlighting the impact of Assembly Bill 660. There are more boxes and crates, a blue shopping cart, and people in the background.At Eastmont Community Center (ECC), a longtime Food Bank partner, staff know firsthand how vital pet food support can be for the families they serve. Anabel, a client who visits ECC’s market-style food distribution, is especially grateful to pick up pet food for her beloved dogs. She shared,

“They help me a lot; food, nutrition class, assistance with my taxes. I’m retired, and the benefits they give to us are not enough. And food is expensive, pet food is even more expensive. I live alone, but my dogs are my company. They are my family.”

Thanks to compassionate supporters, families across Los Angeles County can care for every member of their household, two-legged and four-legged alike.

Join us in the fight against hunger

Your support helps power every program of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, from pet food assistance to children’s nutrition, senior support, and emergency food distributions. Get involved today by donating, volunteering, or advocating to help ensure every neighbor in our community has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.

More Stories from the LA Regional Food Bank

A Legacy of Giving: Roberta Stone’s Commitment to Fighting Hunger in Los Angeles County

Through volunteering, gifts from her IRA, and including the Food Bank as a beneficiary, Roberta is helping neighbors have access to nutritious food.

More Than a Necessity: Why Diaper Assistance Matters to Families in Los Angeles County

For many families and households, diapers are a basic necessity. Yet for parents and caregivers, keeping up with diaper costs can become overwhelming.

The Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantries Help Seniors, like Maria Estela, Stretch Every Dollar

Learn how the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantries help seniors like Maria Estela access nutritious food, stretch fixed incomes, and maintain independence.

The Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry – Meeting Neighbors Where They Are

Learn more about the Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry, and how its distributions help provide food and nutrition security where it’s needed most.

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