In the driveway of the Baltimore Humane Society in Reisterstown, a new shed is filled with bags of dog food, canned cat food, doggy treats and more.
It's a small structure, but employees there hope the recently opened pet food bank can provide substantial help for financially strapped owners.
It is one of several area pet pantries that have opened in recent years, fueled by concerns that animals whose owners can't feed them will end up in shelters.
Trying to keep pets with their owners and out of shelters has been a growing trend here and across the nation. Over the past few years, shelters have focused their efforts on trying to prevent the animals from being surrendered to shelters in the first place, as opposed to trying to get the animals adopted once they arrive there, said Jen Swanson, executive director of the Baltimore Humane Society.
And that doesn't just mean helping families who can't afford to care for their pets; it includes providing services such as hot lines for people whose pets are having behavioral problems.
"Right now, what's trending is shelter intervention," Swanson said. "It's much more efficient to try to prevent them from coming in."
Other available aid in the area includes a White Marsh-based mobile food bank and a Baltimore organization that focuses on helping underserved communities access spay-neuter services.
Staff at the Humane Society started the food bank because they were seeing more people who wanted to give up their pets because they couldn't afford to feed them. "People were calling to surrender their animals," said animal care technician Krystal Bopst.
The cost of having a pet can be steep, and food is a big expense. According to Petfinder, which runs a database of adoptable animals, feeding a dog or cat can cost between $120 and $500 a year.
"Just like everything else, the prices have gone up," said Claudia Lescalleette, cattery manager of the Baltimore Humane Society.
People can come once a month for pet food at the food bank. Supplies such as toys and food bowls also are available. MaxAir Heating & Air Conditioning donated the shed, and the food bank is relying entirely on donations to keep it stocked.
Swanson said she sometimes hears people say that if someone can't afford a pet, they shouldn't have one.
She disagrees.
"I think there's a stigma against [poor people] as pet owners — that they're somehow less loving or caring about their animals," she said. "They may not be feeding grain-free, vegan food, but they're getting that animal into the vet."
The new food bank is part of a growing network of area services for struggling pet owners.
Charm City Companions focuses on helping underserved Baltimore communities access spay-neuter services. Co-founder Annie Pruitt says it's not unusual for some animal welfare advocates to "vilify" pet owners who struggle to take care of their pets.
She said volunteers with her organization take a nonjudgmental approach.
"We've been in houses where we see roaches on the walls," Pruitt said. "We don't judge people for anything they're doing — we're there for the pets, for helping them with the pets.
Marlene Mahipat, a Randallstown chiropractor, remembered when, as a Meals on Wheels volunteer, she saw families giving some of the food they received to their pets. So she founded an organization called P.L.E.A.S.E., which stands for People Letting Every Animal Survive Euthanization. The group offers a "pet taxi" to shuttle people and their animals to veterinary appointments, as well free pet food and assistance with spaying and neutering.
Mahipat's organization also reaches out to homeless people, who can't bring their pets to shelters.
"We have met so many people who would rather live in a cardboard box with their dog," Mahipat said.
Donna Bernstein, an animal advocate in Baltimore County who also is a lawyer for Maryland Legal Aid, said that often when people come to her for help because they're facing eviction or foreclosure, they also need help with their animals.
She said having a pet is worthwhile for many people, even if they are facing financial hardship.
"I think animals are a huge part of our community and our society," Bernstein said. "You can't deny people what is often a great source of comfort and companionship for them."
For Thankful Paws, a mobile food bank based in White Marsh, the focus is on the elderly and homeless who have pets. Founder Lynn Molnar said that for many homeless people she serves, a pet "is the last memento of who they used to be."
"That person's whole reason for living and getting up in the morning is the love of that pet," she said.
twitter.com/aliknez