Donating treats
Giving extra treats to a shelter or a rescue
Updated
You can usually donate dog treats to a shelter or rescue, but call first: each one sets its own rules on what it takes, and some accept only sealed bags with the label on. Ask before you drive over, keep treats in their original bag, and hand them to staff.
Can you donate dog treats to an animal shelter?
Usually, yes. Many shelters and rescues take donations of supplies, and treats may be on the list. But there is no single rule. Each shelter or rescue decides what it takes, who is allowed to accept it and when.
So the first step is a phone call or a look at the organization's website. Many post a list of what they want, and some post a list of what they cannot take. A quick check saves a trip with a bag that gets turned away at the door.
We are not going to name any shelter here, because the right one is the one near you. A small local rescue and a large municipal shelter may answer differently, and both answers are fine.
What should you ask before you drop treats off?
Keep the call short and bring a list. These are the questions that settle most cases:
- Do you want sealed bags only, or will you take opened ones?
- Does the label need to stay on the bag?
- Are there ingredients you avoid?
- What are your drop-off hours, and who should I hand them to?
- Would a foster network or a different rescue be a better home for them?
The last question is worth asking. A shelter may know of foster homes or a nearby rescue with a use for treats it cannot take itself, and asking costs nothing.
Write the answers down before you pack the bag. It is easy to remember one rule and forget another.
Do opened bags count?
Only if the shelter says so. Some will take an opened bag, and some will not, and you will not know until you ask. When in doubt, treat it as a no.
If they do accept an opened bag, keep the treats in the original bag with the label still on it. Do not pour them into a jar or a plastic tub, and do not mix two kinds together. The label is how staff know what is inside, and loose treats with no label are hard to hand on. We make no claim here about how long any treat keeps, so leave that question with the shelter.
If a bag is sealed and the shelter wants sealed bags, you are done. Drop it off and say thank you.
How do you end up with fewer extras next time?
Extras often come from guessing. If a dog turns away from a flavor, the bag sits in the cupboard. A skip list can cut down on that. When you order from us, name the proteins your dog skips, and contact us whenever that list needs changing. Our dog treat skip list page explains how to build one, and the dog box page shows how the box works.
A dog that just turns down a treat is a different question, and our picky dogs page covers it. We do not claim a list will remove every extra. The lineup changes each month, and a list works only as well as what you tell us.
Treats are for intermittent or supplemental feeding. Whatever you give to a shelter, the shelter decides what its dogs eat. Staff can tell you what is allowed. Hand the bag over and leave the rest to them.
Our Modified Monthly page explains what the box is.
You do not need to be a regular donor for any of this to be useful. One call and one sealed bag is a fine start. The guides hub has more reading on treats and the box.
Questions
Do animal shelters accept dog treats?
Many do, but each shelter or rescue sets its own rules. Call or check its website for a wish list. Ask about sealed versus opened bags, and ask where to drop off. Do not turn up with a bag before you have heard back.
Can I donate dog treats that have been opened?
Only if the shelter says it takes opened bags. Ask first. If it does, keep the treats in the original bag with the label on. Do not repackage loose treats into another container, because staff rely on the label to know what is inside.
What else do shelters usually ask for?
It varies, so check the posted wish list or ask. We will not list items as if they were the rule, because each organization decides for itself. A call also tells you whether they want supplies at all or would rather have help in another form.
Can I donate cat treats too?
The same rule applies: ask first. Some shelters take cat supplies and some focus on dogs. Bring only what they say yes to, in the original bag and with the label on, and hand it to a staff member.
Can I hand treats to the shelter dogs myself?
Give them to staff instead. The shelter decides what its dogs get, and staff know the rules for each one. Handing a treat to a dog directly is something to do only if the shelter invites you to.
What if my dog turns down one protein in the box?
Contact us and name the dog. We update the proteins to skip, and you can change them any time. A current list gives the next lineup a better chance of fitting, which can mean fewer extras to give away.