Home / December

A little reason to celebrate

Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day

Animal · December 11

A day for gathering pet food and supplies for animal shelters and rescues, so animals waiting for homes are fed through the holiday season.

Holiday Food Drive for Needy Animals Day falls on Friday, December 11, 2026. That is 45 days away.

Shelters and rescue groups feed a lot of mouths, and the holiday season is when many of them ask for extra help. This day is a nudge to collect food and supplies for animals who do not have a home yet, or whose people are struggling to keep the bowl full.

A food drive for animals looks a lot like any other food drive, just with more kibble. A bin sits by the door of an office, a school or a library, and people drop in bags of dry food, cans of wet food, cat litter or treats. Someone loads it all into a car and drives it to a shelter, a rescue or a pet food pantry.

The most helpful donations are usually the ones a group actually asked for. Many shelters post a wish list, and it often includes ordinary things like old towels, blankets, paper towels and cleaning supplies. Unopened food is generally preferred, and some animals need particular diets, so a quick call or a look at the list saves guesswork.

Small drives add up. A single household can fill a grocery bag, and a classroom or a block of neighbors can fill a trunk. For a cat in a shelter kennel, it simply means dinner arrives on time.

Ways to celebrate

• Check a local shelter's wish list before donating anything.
• Set up a donation bin at work, school or a community spot.
• Donate clean old towels and blankets to a nearby rescue.
• Drop off unopened pet food at a pet food pantry.
• Offer to drive collected donations to a shelter.

Dates

All national days on December 11

Also on December 11

• National Noodle Ring Day
• National App Day

Categories: Animal days