With the cost of groceries on the rise, some New Yorkers are finding it difficult to shoulder the added cost of food for their beloved pets. The Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare and the Department of Social Services recently announced that the owners of dogs and cats will soon be able to pick up pet food at some of the same pantries where they are currently picking up groceries for human consumption.
Two of the new pet pantries are on the west side at Holy Apostles soup kitchen at 281 W. 28th St. and at St. Clemens Food Pantry at 423 W. 46th St.
“No New Yorker should have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their pets,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement. “Keeping families together means keeping pets at home, too. That’s why we’re investing $500,000 to provide free pet food at 22 city-funded pantries across all five boroughs, while tripling funding for more than 700 food pantries citywide,” Mamdani stated.
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and Saint Clemens Food Pantry are part of a roll out of 22 food pantries across the five boroughs. This initiative aims to aid pet owners who are struggling to make ends meet with the rising cost of living, alleviate pressures faced by rescues and shelters, and provide a stronger connection between the community and organizations that provide relief.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the cost of owning a cat or dog can range from around $1,000 to $2,000 on average, per year. Additionally, a study conducted by MetLife Pet Insurance in 2025 found that 22% of pet owners in the United States have $2,000 or more in pet-related debt. This study also found that 58% of pet owners are skipping meals to pay for their pets’ needs. For families that are already struggling to make ends meet, this can place a significant burden on the finances of a household.
It is not just pet owners who are feeling the impact. Pet shelters across New York City are facing a crisis due to high intake rates. Last summer, the Animal Care Center of NYC made headlines due to severe capacity issues. For the first time since its inception in 1995, the shelter had run out of space. Taking to social media, they explained, “We cannot take any more owner surrenders. With over 1,000 pets in our care we are at a breaking point.”
“We see how financial hardship can force people to surrender beloved pets simply because they can no longer afford to feed them. Providing pet food through existing human food pantries is a practical, compassionate way to help keep pets with the families who love them, support community cat caregivers and ease the financial burden on foster-based rescues so we can continue our lifesaving work,” said Victoria Koulouris, President and Founder, Long Island City Feral Feeders in the announcement.
“This initiative sends an important message: help is available, and keeping families together is a responsibility we all share”, said Risa Weinstock, President and CEO of Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) in the announcement.
The public reaction to the new initiative has been very positive. One Facebook commenter said, “Having volunteered at a local shelter I can tell you that this is so very important. The poor animals that are surrendered are distressed and saddened, living in a cage when they had a loving home. Their owners return to a home empty of a loving animal.. more municipalities should do this.”
In addition to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and Saint Clemens Food Pantry, five other pet pantries have opened across Manhattan, three in Lower Manhattan and one in East Harlem.