SPCA opens new pet food pantry in Lockland

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Pet parents in need of food assistance for their furry companions now have a distribution center in Greater Cincinnati committed to making sure there’s access to nutritional resources.

SPCA Cincinnati opened its Chow Now Pantry Distribution Center at 516 W. Wyoming Ave. in Lockland on Wednesday to help families in need of food for their pets. This was made possible through a collaboration with Pets in Need of Greater Cincinnati.

The pantry program is fully volunteer-led and is part of an initiative first introduced in 2020 to help families who were dealing with financial hardships during the public health crisis.

“We are excited to have this new location for this very important program,” says Mike Retzlaff, President and CEO of SPCA Cincinnati. “In addition to our headquarters, Tikkun Farm, St. Vincent DePaul, CAIN Ministry and the VA Hospital, we now have a greater capacity to store resources and streamline our touchpoint with the public.”

Pets In Need’s executive director and founder, Ann Hill, said that the organization believes that no one should have to be faced with the decision to give up a pet to a shelter due to financial or health reasons. She also added that shelters are already overburdened.

The distribution center is open to the public today and every other Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Anyone in need of free pet food can come to the pantry once a month, according to SPCA Cincinnati’s staff.

You can also be on the lookout for pop-up locations that serve the community through the Chow Now Pantry Food Truck.

If you or someone you know would like to help keep the pantry well-stocked, you can make donations through SPCA Cincinnati’s website.

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