YmaNini LaCourt wouldn’t know what she would do without her dog Mizzo, a small Chihuahua-mix with an adorable underbite.
But after losing her job during the pandemic, LaCourt has been working part time for less than $20 an hour, not nearly enough to cover her expenses, including food for a pet she describes as “part of me, part of my life, part of my world.”
LaCourt, 65, is among hundreds of pet owners increasingly turning to local pet food pantries to make ends meet. As the cost of living in the Boston area continues to climb, and with recent federal cuts to programs that help low-income Americans, including SNAP and Medicaid, more people would be forced to give up their furry family members without this kind of assistance, according to the food pantries.
“Pets are part of people’s families, and we’re really focused on keeping families together,” said Edward Schettino, president of the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which runs the Keep Pets SAFE program. SAFE stands for Supporting Animals and Families Everyday and its pantry serves pet owners in Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.
“When people struggle, pets struggle,” Schettino added.
Demand for the SAFE program and a statewide equivalent run by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) has surged this year compared to 2025, according to the nonprofits.
When money is tight, many pet owners sacrifice their own needs to buy a bag of kibble, animal advocates said. Some may feed their pet before eating a meal themselves.
Like LaCourt, many people in Massachusetts got pets during the pandemic to keep them company while spending more time at home.
Alyssa Krieger, director of community outreach for Boston’s MSPCA, said the group distributed 2.8 million pet meals across Massachusetts in 2024. In 2025, the number jumped to 3.5 million, she said.
Krieger said their clients typically get half of their pet’s monthly food from the program, visiting sites such as the Lawrence YMCA, Hyde Park’s Helping Plates and the Falmouth Service Center to pick up a bag of kibble provided by the MSPCA.
Pet owners seek out the program about two to four times per year, she said, and receive around $50 worth of food each time.
“People are using it when they really, really need it because life is nearly impossible in Massachusetts right now,” Krieger said.
Over the past several years, Krieger has talked to hundreds of pet owners at distribution sites in parks and parking lots. Often with their dogs in tow, the owners tell Krieger how thankful they are for the help.
“Those conversations really have taught me that pet ownership shouldn’t just be a privilege for people with a lot of money,” Krieger said.
In Boston, the ARL makes more than 25 deliveries per month, both to people’s homes and the offices of Action for Boston Community Development, a social services nonprofit, Schettino said.
The program focuses on dog and cat food, as well as cat litter. It also honors requests for food for birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other less common pets.
Monthly deliveries of about $80 worth of cat food and litter have helped Dorchester resident Betty Strickland pay off her 2019 Toyota Yaris, she said.
Strickland’s husband died in 2018 from health problems that began more than a decade earlier when he was shot in the stomach when their home was robbed, she said.
A friend decided Strickland needed a pet for company and gave her Leah, a long-haired white and tabby.
“She’s such a good kitty, I mean she’s so good, there’s certain things she knows not to do," said Strickland, adding that Leah provides “so much” company for her.
Because Leah had several teeth removed because of dental problems she developed as a kitten living on the street, she only eats canned cat food, said Strickland, 73.
Leah’s expensive taste, as well as her well-mannered behavior, leads neighbors to address her using a royal honorific.
The cat has her own kitchen chair, the only piece of furniture she’s allowed on.
“She really is a princess,” Strickland said.
Strickland’s monthly income, from her pension and Social Security, amounts to less than $2,000. Without the rescue league, she’d be spending nearly $100 a month on canned cat food and litter, she said.
“It makes it easier for me to spend money someplace else,” Strickland said.
Both Strickland and LaCourt receive housing assistance, which covers roughly two-thirds of their rent. A set percentage of their monthly income covers the final third.
LaCourt could work full time now, but she’s hesitant. The more she earns each month, the greater percentage of her income must go toward her rent. She already pays $1,000 toward the monthly cost of her two-bedroom apartment.
LaCourt’s 20-year-old daughter would contribute more to the household budget, but her hours at T.J. Maxx were recently cut to one day a week after her store on Newbury Street shut down and she was moved to another location.
That means that for now, the assistance is giving LaCourt’s family some much-needed peace of mind.
“I’d be lost without them, they’re so helpful,” she said.
Claire Thornton can be reached at claire.thornton@globe.com. Follow Claire on X @claire_thornto.