What is Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation 🐾?

 

Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation 🐾 is a volunteer-run, donation-powered pet food bank serving pets and families throughout the Central and South Okanagan. Our goal is simple: help keep bowls full and pets at home by providing  pet food support.

Are you government funded?

No — Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation 🐾 is not government funded.
We operate entirely through community donations, fundraising, and local partnerships. Every bag of food we provide is made possible because people in our community choose to help.

Which areas do you serve?

We serve communities throughout the Central and South Okanagan, including (but not limited to):
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Summerland, Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos and surrounding areas.

 

Who can apply for support?

Support is available to households in the Central & South Okanagan who are experiencing financial hardship and need help feeding the pets who are permanent residents in their home.

 

How often can I receive assistance?

Assistance is available once every 60 days, up to six (6) times per calendar year, per household.

 

How much food will I receive?

Each approved request provides approximately one month of pet food, based on availability and household need.

Current program limits:

• Maximum 75 lbs total food per address

• Maximum 50 lbs chicken-free food per address (within the 75 lb total)

All support amounts are dependent on donations and availability.

 

How do I apply?

Applications are completed online through our website during program intake periods. When applications are open, you’ll see the intake form posted clearly on our website.

 

How long does it take to hear back after applying?

You will receive a confirmation email immediately. If you did not receive it, we did not receive your application.

We are a small volunteer-run organization and receive a high volume of requests. Response time can vary, but we do our best to reply as quickly as possible.

 

How do I receive the pet food? (Delivery / Pick-Up)

Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation 🐾 primarily operates as a delivery-based program.

Once approved, we deliver pet food to the address provided in your application, typically within 7–14 days.

While we strive to meet this turnaround, please note we are a small volunteer-run organization providing food support to hundreds of pets each month, and delivery timelines can vary based on volunteer capacity and donation supply.

We do not offer pick-up unless prearranged.
We do have a manned location, however support is generally coordinated through delivery unless otherwise arranged.

 

What types of pet food do you provide?

We primarily provide:

• Dry dog food

• Dry cat food

• Occasional wet food (as available)

• Specialty diets (limited availability)

 

Can I request a specific brand or type of food?

You can include preferences in your application (allergies, chicken-free, etc.), but because we rely entirely on donations, we cannot guarantee specific brands.

 

What if my pet has allergies or needs a special diet?

Please include this in your application. We will do our best to accommodate (especially for chicken-free needs), but specialty diets are limited.

 

Do you provide support for foster pets, extended family pets, or new pets?

At this time, we are only able to support pets who are permanent residents in the household.

We do not provide pet food support for:

• Foster animals

• Newly acquired pets

• Litters/new breeding

• Extended family pets not living permanently in the home

This helps ensure we can serve the greatest number of local families fairly.

 

Do I need to spay/neuter my pet to receive support?

Spay/neuter is strongly encouraged as part of responsible pet care. We also do not support new litters.

Our focus is supporting stability and keeping pets fed, safe, and in their homes.

 

Can I share or sell the pet food I receive?

You may share supplies if truly needed — but reselling or dishonest dealings are not permitted.

Failure to abide by terms of service can result in termination of support.

 

Do you help with vet bills or medical emergencies?

Lend A Paw focuses on pet food support. We do not typically cover veterinary bills or medical emergencies, but we may be able to refer you to other resources in the community.

 

How can I donate?

Donations keep bowls full 🥣❤️

You can donate by:

• Dropping pet food at partner locations (listed on our website)

• Making a monetary donation

• Hosting a pet food drive

• Supporting our fundraising campaigns

Monetary donations allow us to purchase food to fill gaps when certain types of food are needed most.

 

Can I e-transfer a donation?

Yes! We gratefully accept e-transfers at:
lendapawok@gmail.com

 

Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?

Not at this time.

We are currently in the process of receiving our registered charitable status, and once approved, we will be able to provide official charitable tax receipts moving forward.

For now, we can absolutely provide a donation confirmation/acknowledgment, but charitable tax receipts are not available yet.

 

How can my business partner with Lend A Paw?

We love partnering with local businesses 🐾
Ways to help include:

• Hosting a donation bin

• Sponsoring a campaign

• Matching donations

• Contributing pet food or supplies

• Hosting a fundraising event

Send us a message through the website and we’ll get back to you.

 

How can I volunteer?

We’re always looking for kind humans to join our pack 🐾
Volunteer roles may include:

• Sorting and organizing donations

• Distribution day support

• Driving deliveries

• Special events and food drives

Visit our Volunteer page or message us to learn more.

 

How do I contact you?

The best way to reach us depends on what you need:

• If you are needing assistance: please use the Assistance Request Form on our website (this helps us keep requests organized and ensures nothing gets missed).

• Email: lendapawok@gmail.com

• Social media: You can also DM us on our social platforms

Please note: we are volunteer-run and response times may vary — but we will reply as soon as we can. 🐾🥣