Pet Food Drives
Chow time
Food drives are an easy, accessible way to make a big difference for the dogs and cats. And they're a great option for school fundraisers and service projects. All food donations make a difference, and you can support our greatest need by donating items listed below.
- Adult cat food (dry and wet)
- Kitten food: Wet food (pate-style please) and kitten dry food
- Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR)
- Other items featured on our wish list.
Donations can be dropped off in person at the shelter, or shop our Amazon Wish List to have your donation sent to us directly.
Promoting your Food Drive
Spreading the word about your food drive is important. Here are some easy, downloadable files that can help! You can update the poster and handout with the dates of your drive, and share the digital graphic on social media to help spread the word.
The tools below are provided to help you but are not required in order to host a food drive! Making your own posters and sharing your own images on social media adds a personal touch and is a great way to encourage donations.
Poster (11x17)
Dog Poster
Cat Poster
Flyer (8x11)
Dog Flyer
Cat Flyer
Handout (8x11, 3-up)
Dog Handout
Cat Handout
Graphic
Dog Graphic
Cat Graphic
FAQ
We encourage you to be creative with your food drive! Make it your own and have fun with it. Of course, it helps to have some answers to common questions, see below for FAQ.
We feed the animals in our care high-quality foods which meet the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards for complete and balanced nutrition. There are many brands of great quality foods available. Unsure? Check in with your local family-owned pet food store to see what they might recommend.
There's no secret to it, you can just get started on your own. While we're happy to lend a hand, you don't need our permission to help out the dogs and cats!
Successful drives have been hosted at banks, fast-food restaurants, summer education programs, state agencies, private businesses, and veterinary hospitals. It’s a great way to engage our community and an excellent project for kids who want to help.
Donated food supports the pets in our care and also our work with pets in our community. Our CHOW program helps the pets of families in our community who need assistance providing for their pets.
Food purchased from a reputable retailer is preferred. We cannot accept homemade treats.
New or gently used items such as leashes, collars, toys, beds, etc can be a big support for our animals.
We request that used items are clean and in good condition. Please, no soiled or damaged items. Not all items are appropriate for use in the shelter; donated items that are clean and in good condition may be sold in our thrift store (the proceeds of which support our animals.)
No. Supplements, treatments and medications should not be collected as part of a food drive.
Washington State regulations prohibit HSSW from accepting donations of used medications. This includes anything in a prescription bottle prescribed to a particular pet. Responsible disposal of prescription medication is important. Improper disposal can be a hazard to humans, animals and our environment. For a list of disposal sites in your area, please click here.
You can drop off your donations any time during our regular business hours. If you need assistance, our staff will be happy to help! We have carts to help load your food donations and can provide a donation receipt if you need one.
