KHS pet food pantry critical during tough economic times

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 29, 2026

During the current challenging economic times, an increasing number of pet owners – unable to afford food for their furry pals – are coming to the Kitsap Humane Society’s pet food pantry for assistance. The outlet provides free animal food to pet parents to ensure they can keep their dogs and cats fed.

“Our mission is to provide a safety net for people and their pets when times get tough,” says Mike Bush, director of communications for the humane society.

“Studies have shown that when people are having tough times, rather than feed themselves, they will feed their pets. The pet food pantry serves as a resource not just for pets, but their owners, too. If we can provide pet food for animals, people will be able to feed themselves,” Bush said.

Patrons of the pet food bank have increased by a whopping 166%, per humane society numbers. During the 12-month period ending April 1, the pantry saw 770 visits, compared to 289 visits the prior year. In the first third of the year, the pantry distributed nearly 42,700 pounds of food, well over half of the amount distributed in all of 2025.

A variety of pet owners come to the pet food bank – some are living paycheck to paycheck, while others have no paycheck coming in, he said.

“It is people from all walks of life, all ages. You see young families with little kids, middle-aged people, and older people with their pets. They look like every person you run into at the supermarket. They’ve lost their jobs or had unexpected expenses, like medical costs. We are just glad we can provide the service to them,” Bush said.

Cindy Townson, of Seabeck, has been coming to the pantry for the past year to pick up food for her two dogs, “Roxy,” a two-year-old Shepard Husky who is currently pregnant, and “Duke,” a seven-month-old Shepard Mastiff.

“When you are in between paychecks, it’s very nice to be able to know I can go there and get just a little bit to last me until I get paid. It is very reassuring that at least your babies will get fed,” Townson said.

“The staff has always been really nice and kind. Never judgmental,” she added.

Amanda Joseph recently came to the pantry for the first time from Bainbridge Island.

“I don’t make a lot of money. I live with my grandma; we are just lower income,” the 20-year-old said. During her visit, she picked up eight cans of dog food, kitten food, dog treats and some pee pads.

“My animals are my priority. If there’s a tight budget, I just forgo things that are non-necessities for me. But I always make sure my pets are well cared for,” Joseph said, referring to her six-year-old English Springer Spaniel, “Alastor,” five-year-old Manx cat “Pollux,” and kitten “Castor.”

Mike Williams, of Bremerton, says if it were not for the pantry, he would be struggling to maintain his four dogs and two cats. He has been coming to the store for over two years.

“Sometimes it’s hard to choose if I have enough for milk or gas because of how much prices are. (The pantry) saves me because sometimes I can’t even buy dog food. I don’t like my dog to suffer. I give them my food instead,” he said.

During this visit, he picked up dry kibble, three boxes of wet food and dog treats. The pantry happened to be out of cat food.

“If I didn’t have this, I would probably not have my pets. They make sure you can take care of your best friends,” Williams said.

Several factors could account for increased traffic to the pantry, said Joe Morrison, executive director of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, a group that works to grow the county’s economy.

“Housing, fuel, grocery prices have gone up across the board. Kitsap is an expensive area. Today we pay Seattle prices, but we certainly don’t have Seattle incomes. That’s part of the squeeze that people feel,” Morrison said

The recent government shutdown also hurt.

“There’s nothing more devastating to Kitsap, economically, than a government shutdown. One in three paychecks in Kitsap are tied to government work,” Morrison said.

KHS spokesman Bush reported there was a significant increase in pantry visitors during the shutdown.

“Usually, we will see a few people a day. During the shutdown, when people were not getting their SNAP benefits, we had lines,” he said.

The pantry primarily serves dogs and cats. Dry and wet food, and treats are the main staples on shelves. Occasionally, animal beds, toys, leashes and collars are available, Bush said.

To receive complimentary food, a pet owner fills out a brief application. A pet parent needs to live in Kitsap or Mason County and agree to have their pets spayed or neutered at no cost by the humane society. An owner can pick up food once a month for up to five animals.

Most food bank goods are donated by individuals.

“It’s just the schoolteacher bringing in a trunk filled with dog food or when somebody’s animal passes away and they bring us a pet bed, travel crate, and toys. A lot of generous, small donors come in with a couple of bags of food here, a couple of bags of food there. That’s how we fill the pantry,” Bush said.

“We’re a real nonprofit. We are scratching for every bag of kitty litter and every dog bone. So, we’ll take whatever people can offer us,” he added.

Recently, the pantry experienced an influx of private donations after KHS was called upon to take in more than 50 animals from a hoarding situation. “People were bringing in truckloads of puppy food and dog food, toys and blankets and all sorts of stuff. There was just a crazy outpouring of support from the community,” he said.

Greater Good Charities, a group that assists non-profits worldwide, is another source of product. The charity collects goods from companies and distributes them to community organizations, like KHS.

Chewy, a pet supply company, contributed 44,000 pounds of food to the pantry last year.

The pet food pantry is housed on the Kitsap Humane Society campus in Silverdale. Hours are 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., daily.