Facing the Unseen Crisis: Pet Food Insecurity in Canada, 2025

Facing the Unseen Crisis: Pet Food Insecurity in Canada, 2025

By Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation – www.lendapaw.org

In the shadow of rising inflation, housing challenges, and a growing affordability crisis, a quieter struggle is taking place in homes across Canada: pet food insecurity. While food banks and support services work tirelessly to keep humans fed, the needs of companion animals—who are often seen as family—are frequently overlooked.

The Growing Need

In 2025, many Canadians are still grappling with the aftershocks of the pandemic, inflation-driven grocery prices, and economic instability. For pet guardians on fixed incomes, in temporary housing, or recovering from job loss or health issues, feeding a beloved cat or dog can become an impossible choice.

Recent data shows that more than 1 in 4 pet guardians across low-income or at-risk households have struggled to afford pet food in the past year. This issue is especially visible among seniors, students, and people experiencing housing insecurity.

Pets Are Family

For many, pets are not just companions—they are emotional support, routine, purpose, and love. The idea of surrendering a pet simply because you can’t afford food is heartbreaking—and for some, traumatic. And yet, shelters and rescues across Canada are quietly seeing an increase in surrenders tied directly to financial hardship.

What’s even more alarming? Many guardians will prioritize feeding their pets over feeding themselves. It’s a selfless act of love—but one no one should have to make.

The Response: A Patchwork of Support

Pet food insecurity isn’t officially tracked at the national level, so most responses have come from grassroots organizations and animal welfare groups. Across the country, community pet food banks, mobile outreach services, and veterinary partners are stepping in to fill the gap. But resources are stretched thin.

That’s where Lend A Paw Pet Food Foundation steps in. At www.lendapaw.org, we’re dedicated to helping families keep their pets fed, loved, and at home. Through donations, partnerships, and community outreach, we work to provide essential support to pets in need—because no bowl should go empty.

What Needs to Change

To truly address pet food insecurity, we need:

• National awareness: Recognizing pet food insecurity as a real issue tied to social well-being.

• Sustainable funding: Supporting organizations offering pet food and care support.

• Pet-inclusive policies: Including pet needs in emergency aid, housing supports, and food programs.

• Partnerships: Between human services and animal welfare to support the whole family—two-legged and four.

How You Can Help

Whether you’re an individual, a business, or a community group, there are many ways to make a difference:

• Donate pet food or funds at www.lendapaw.org

• Organize a drive in your workplace or school. Let us know and we can help brainstorm!

• Advocate for pet-inclusive policies in housing and emergency services.

• Spread the word—awareness leads to compassion, and compassion drives change.

A Country That Cares—for All

In a country that prides itself on compassion and care, no one—human or animal—should go hungry. As we move forward in 2025, let’s ensure that our understanding of community includes every member of the family, paws and all.