New York City provides free pet food at 22 locations
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New York City officials began offering free food for dogs and cats on October 19, 2026, at 22 food pantries across all five boroughs.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the City Council launched the program to help pet owners struggling with inflation and to prevent animals from being abandoned. They tripled funding for the Community Food Connection program to $78 million for the 2027 fiscal year, allocating $500,000 specifically for pet food purchases.
The city’s initiative supplements existing investments in spaying and neutering services, aiming to keep families together despite financial hardship. Allie Taylor, director of the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare, and Erin Dalton, commissioner of the Department of Social Services, oversaw the program’s implementation. Risa Weinstock, CEO of Animal Care Centers of NYC, and members of the Animal Welfare Caucus, including Harvey Epstein and Shirley Aldebol, praised the new program.
Distribution points are located in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, with local activists such as Heather M. Butts and Tanya Copeland expressing their support.
