Feeding Pets of the Homeless launches Give a Dog a Bone Week Aug. 2-8

Feeding Pets of the Homeless is asking businesses, schools, workplaces and pet lovers nationwide to host drives and fundraisers during Give a Dog a Bone Week, Aug. 2-8. The campaign aims to collect pet food, supplies and donations for pets of people experiencing homelessness as requests for help keep rising.

Why it matters: - Give a Dog a Bone Week channels local donations into pet food, supplies and financial support for pets belonging to people experiencing homelessness. - The campaign is designed to help keep pets with their guardians and protect the human-animal bond during homelessness. - The need is underscored by HUD data showing 745,652 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2025, including more than 266,000 people living unsheltered.

What happened: - Feeding Pets of the Homeless is inviting organizations, businesses, individuals and pet lovers nationwide to take part in Give a Dog a Bone Week from Aug. 2-8. - The annual campaign asks communities to host pet food drives, start fundraisers and donate supplies for pets of people experiencing homelessness. - Community members near Carson City, Nev. can visit the Feeding Pets of the Homeless headquarters at 710 W. Washington St. for donation drop-offs, team introductions and behind-the-scenes tours. - The headquarters will be open Monday, Aug. 3, through Friday, Aug. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The details: - Participating communities can host pet food and supply drives as an organization, business, workplace, school, church, neighborhood or individual. - Supporters can start an online fundraiser and invite friends and family to contribute. - Donors can drop off pet food and supplies at a participating Feeding Pets of the Homeless Donation Site. - Supporters can buy needed items from the group’s Chewy and Amazon wish lists or make a financial contribution. - Participants can also share the campaign to raise awareness of the needs of pets belonging to people experiencing homelessness. - Feeding Pets of the Homeless Donation Sites collect food and supplies for Pet Food Providers, including food banks, shelters, soup kitchens and other organizations serving people experiencing homelessness. - Campaign toolkits, fundraiser registration, donation site information and participation details are available at petsofthehomeless.org/giveadogaboneweek.

Between the lines: - Genevieve Frederick, founder and president of Feeding Pets of the Homeless, said a donated bag of food can provide immediate relief and help a person keep caring for a companion animal. - The appeal frames pet aid as a practical local response to a national homelessness problem, not just a one-time charity drive. - The organization is also using the week to build awareness around a need that often gets overlooked in homelessness services.

What's next: - Feeding Pets of the Homeless is pushing communities to register drives and fundraisers before and during the Aug. 2-8 campaign window. - Local participation, donation-site drop-offs and online giving will determine how much food and funding reaches pet owners and partner agencies. - The Carson City headquarters visit opportunity runs only during the week of Aug. 3-7.

The bottom line: - Give a Dog a Bone Week is a simple call to action: feed pets, support their owners and make the response local.