Free Pet Food Giveaway Offers Lifeline as SNAP Cuts Leave Las Vegas Pet Owners Struggling

As Las Vegas grapples with rising food insecurity and uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits, one local organization is proving that kindness can make all the difference. On Monday, November 10, 2025, The Animal Foundation will open its doors for a free emergency pet food giveaway, providing a crucial safety net for struggling pet owners.

For many, it’s a lifeline. Behind every bag of food handed out is a story of a family doing everything possible to avoid the unthinkable — giving up a beloved dog or cat because they can no longer afford to feed them. The Animal Foundation’s event offers not just supplies, but hope and dignity for those hit hardest by economic hardship. Volunteers say they have seen first-hand how much relief these events bring, especially to families facing tough choices between their own meals and their pets’.

This event reflects a wider mission to protect the human-animal bond, even in times of crisis. By meeting families where they are — without judgment or red tape — The Animal Foundation demonstrates the real meaning of community care. In a city as fast-paced as Las Vegas, where compassion often competes with survival, this initiative stands out as a quiet act of grace.

What You Need to Know

The emergency pet food giveaway will take place on Monday, November 10, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at The Animal Foundation’s Community Center, located at 655 North Mojave Road, Las Vegas, NV 89101. The distribution line closes promptly at 3:00 PM, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they receive assistance. Volunteers will be on hand to guide visitors to the right location, which is positioned at the far right of the Adoptions building when facing the entrance.

Participants are asked to bring a valid ID and information about the number of pets in their household. It’s important to note that pets themselves should remain at home, as the event is designed for quick, safe distribution. Pet owners will receive food for cats and dogs, limited to a maximum of four animals per household, and food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

The event is free and open to all residents experiencing financial difficulty. Staff at The Animal Foundation emphasize that there are no eligibility barriers or forms to complete — families simply need to show up, share a few details, and collect the food they need. It’s an easy, compassionate system designed to ensure that no one is turned away during a time of need.

Understanding the Crisis

The ongoing federal shutdown and related uncertainty surrounding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have created an unprecedented strain for low-income families across Las Vegas. SNAP, which provides essential food assistance to hundreds of thousands of Nevadans, has faced disruptions that ripple far beyond human nutrition. When benefits are reduced or delayed, households with pets face an impossible dilemma — how to feed every member of their family, including the four-legged ones.

For many, pets are more than companions — they’re emotional anchors and sources of comfort during instability. Yet when a paycheck doesn’t stretch far enough, even loyal owners can be forced into heart-breaking choices. The Animal Foundation’s emergency event ensures those decisions never have to come to that. The pantry acts as both a safety net and a message of solidarity to families who might otherwise feel forgotten.

Local animal shelters have already sounded the alarm about rising pet surrenders tied to economic hardship. The Animal Foundation reported more than 4,000 surrenders in the past year due to financial distress. Each surrender represents both a personal loss for a family and another burden on shelters already stretched beyond capacity. Events like this one aim to reduce that strain, helping keep pets in loving homes rather than kennels.

The KEPPT Program

The Animal Foundation’s emergency food pantry is just one piece of a much broader effort to support families through its KEPPT program — short for Keeping Every Person and Pet Together. The initiative provides direct assistance for pet owners in crisis, tackling the multiple challenges that can lead to surrender.

Through KEPPT, families can access emergency pet food supplies, veterinary financial aid, and even temporary boarding for pets while owners stabilize their living situations. The program also includes behavioral support from certified trainers, as well as help navigating housing restrictions and ordinance-driven reclaim fees. Each case is handled individually, with compassion and care, ensuring that every family gets the support that suits their unique circumstances.

The KEPPT program is sustained by donations and grants, including a recent $11,000 contribution from Cox Charities that helped expand its reach. This funding allows The Animal Foundation to provide consistent, practical aid to hundreds of families each year. By focusing on keeping pets with their owners, KEPPT not only prevents shelter overcrowding but also preserves the emotional fabric of families in crisis.

Inside The Animal Foundation

Founded in 1978 as a small low-cost spay and neuter clinic, The Animal Foundation has grown into Nevada’s largest open-admission animal shelter — and one of the highest-volume single-site shelters in the country. Its 8-acre campus on North Mojave Road houses adoption services, veterinary care, low-cost vaccination clinics, and microchipping facilities, making it a comprehensive resource for animal welfare in Southern Nevada.

The organization’s mission has remained consistent over nearly five decades: to save the lives of all healthy and treatable animals in the Las Vegas Valley. That vision culminated in 2020 with the successful completion of its “Mission: Possible 2020” initiative, a campaign to eliminate unnecessary euthanasia for savable animals. It marked a turning point for the shelter and for the state, showing that a no-kill future is possible through community collaboration and compassion.

The scale of its impact speaks for itself. In 2024 alone, The Animal Foundation saved over 20,000 animals, reunited nearly 4,000 with their owners, and performed close to 12,000 spay and neuter procedures. Its commitment extends beyond the shelter walls through education, outreach, and support programs like KEPPT that address the root causes of pet abandonment.

How You Can Help

If you’re struggling to feed your pets, The Animal Foundation’s emergency pet food giveaway on November 10 is designed for you — without judgment, forms, or fees. Simply arrive between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM with your ID and the number of pets in your home. Staff and volunteers will make the process quick and respectful, ensuring everyone receives the support they need.

For those who are able to give, donations of food or funds make an immediate and lasting impact. The pet food pantry is sustained entirely through contributions, and every bag donated helps a family avoid heartbreak. You can send supplies directly through The Animal Foundation’s Amazon Wishlist or make a financial contribution through animalfoundation.com.

Volunteers are also welcome to get involved in a range of activities — from walking dogs and fostering animals to assisting with enrichment and community outreach events. Giving time or resources to The Animal Foundation is one of the most direct ways to strengthen the safety net that protects Las Vegas’s pets and their people.

More Ways to Access Support

For those who cannot attend the November 10 event, The Animal Foundation has extended its reach with additional community pop-ups. On November 18, the team will host a food distribution at Siegel Suites Twain from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, followed by another on November 25 at Desert Oasis Apartments from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Both events will provide smaller-scale support on a first-come, first-served basis.

The organization is also adding extended Saturday appointments for its regular pet food pantry, making it easier for working families to find a convenient time to pick up supplies. Those facing an urgent crisis can visit the shelter during regular hours to collect a day or two of emergency food until larger distributions are available.

Anyone seeking assistance or information can reach The Animal Foundation directly at 702-955-5910 or by visiting animalfoundation.com. The shelter’s staff can connect callers with the KEPPT coordinator for personalized support tailored to their situation.