8 ‘pet pantries’ across Baltimore aim to keep animals with owners

At a house in Hampden, a small wooden box sits just outside the front fence, stocked with bagged dog food and the occasional donated leash or carrier. It’s rarely empty for long. Neighbors contribute. Strangers leave notes of thanks. One regular takes an hourlong bus ride to get there.

It’s called Chloe’s Pet Pantry, and it’s one of eight free, self-serve pet food and supply stations that have sprung up across the Baltimore area. The pink house-shaped box is an informal safety net for pet owners who can’t always afford to feed their animals.

“Our main goal is to keep pets with families,” said Lindsay Buck, who started Chloe’s Pet Pantry in honor of her late dog.

Buck first fostered then adopted Chloe after pulling her from a shelter in North Carolina 12 years ago.

“We lost Chloe in March of 2025,” Buck said. “After she passed, I said, ‘Let’s just do this in her honor,’ and it’s actually been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”

Buck estimates that she has 20 to 25 regulars. She’s had people cry and hug her when they pick up food.

“I just want to thank you so very much for having this pet food pantry,” one note read. “I lost my job and things have been very hard for my kids, pet and I. This has been a huge blessing and help for my furbabies.”

Buck and her family bag larger quantities of donated food into smaller portions once a week or every two weeks, depending on need.

Aside from neighbors and family members, Chloe’s has received support from the Maryland SPCA and Ruxton Animal Hospital.

Balston Mercantile, a home goods store, donated 14% of its Valentine’s Day proceeds to the pantry.

Chloe’s Pet Pantry is part of a larger network called Paws Across Baltimore, which is coordinated by Samantha Zerwonka.

Zerwonka, a dog walker, had the idea last fall to connect free pet pantries around the city with resources.

She opened her own pantry in Carroll Park in January as a “last line of defense” from someone abandoning their pet, whether because of cost or lack of food.

“I don’t want someone to feel desperate enough to dump their dog because they can’t afford dog food,” she said. “There are resources out there; it’s just a matter of finding them.”

Paws Across Baltimore has a map where owners can locate all eight pet pantries.

The goal, Zerwonka said, is to get a pet pantry running in each neighborhood and create a system in which pantry hosts can lean on one another when stock runs low.

She also plans to expand the network’s mission beyond food, connecting pet owners with low-cost vaccine options, spay-and-neuter clinics, and trainers and groomers.

The pantries are entirely self-serve. People can drop off extra food, leashes, collars or other supplies at whichever location is closest and, in the same way, take what they need.

Her motivation traces back to her work in dog rescue. Zerwonka said many pet owners in Baltimore rely on food stamps or Section 8 housing assistance, both of which don’t cover pet food.

“A lot of people get desperate and drive to a park that seems abandoned and just dump their dogs. I’m the person they call to come pick the dog up,” she said.

Zerwonka set up a phone number that people can call if the Carroll Park pantry is empty. Pet owners can also call or text if they need extra help, such as a food drop-off or recommendations for a low-cost vet clinic nearby.

“It helps a range of people,” she said of the pet pantry network. “But it’s more a ‘Hey, I don’t get paid until Friday, and I’ll run out of dog food Wednesday.’”