Animal shelters do the remarkable work of caring for abandoned animals. From rescuing animals from inhumane or abusive situations to bearing the burden of irresponsible pet ownership, animal shelters work hard to give animals a second shot at life.
Whether you prefer to donate cash, kind, or time, there are several ways that you can help shelters in your community. Here are a few that you can do today:
1. Donate money.
The easiest and most practical way to help your local shelter is to donate money. More often than not, animal shelters are underfunded and rely on donations to get them by. With many animal shelters being over capacity, millions of animals become at risk of death.
To help keep them running, you can set up a regular donation to your local shelter. For the price of one cup of coffee every month, you can help your local shelter continue to give animals a chance at adoption for longer. Any amount would go a long way to making sure that animal shelters can provide abandoned animals necessary physical and medical needs.
2. Donate old pet supplies.
If you are a pet owner, you’ll likely have several extra pet supplies at your disposal. As our pets get older, many of them change preferences, outgrow their leashes, or need different bowls. Sometimes, it can even be that you are redecorating and want to change their bed. Often, we have extra pet supplies that are still good for use.
As long as your pet supplies are not expired and are usable, many shelters will be glad to take them in. From food, bowls, toys, beds, harnesses, litter sand, and more, many of your pet’s discarded items can mean the world to a frightened or lonely animal at the shelter.
3. Organize fund raisers.
For people who want to donate people but don’t have the financial means to do so, you can organize fundraisers such as bake sales and garage sales to help raise funds. Many people are more likely to make purchases or request services when they know the profit will be going to a good cause.
Many pet supply companies will be happy to give a discount for bulk purchases, especially those meant for donations. You can even partner with brands to promote their products in exchange for including them in your event and having their logos in your promotional materials.
4. Help create marketing materials.
When it comes to non-profits, many of them dedicate the majority of their budget to their core functions. For animal shelters, this means that funds are primarily allocated to rescuing, housing, and nursing animals back to health. With this, one of the things that they often lack the budget for are marketing expenses.
If you have the skills necessary to make marketing materials such as writing, photography, or graphic design, you can volunteer to use them. Whether it is for one-time projects or long-term engagements, creating marketing materials is a great way to help your local shelter. Volunteering skills may be the best course of action if you do not have much disposable income and live too far away to volunteer regularly.
5. Post Online.
The internet has made it easier for people to hear about what your local shelter is doing to help abandoned animals. However, they need to share the good that they are doing first. Many of them do not have the time nor budget for that. Sharing regularly about their projects, events, and the various animals that need fostering or adopting can give shelters the signal boost they need.
Posting photos and writing features of their adoptable animals make them more likely to be found by their potential forever homes. Whether it is to find new donors, volunteers, or families, engaging their community is the first step. A single share might make all the difference for a pet that can find a forever home.
6. Sign Petitions.
Many animal activists lobby for better support for local shelters through petitions. Petitions help bring awareness and demand accountability from lawmakers and public entities. Americans have the right to petition thanks to the First Amendment. To be searchable on WhiteHouse.gov a petition must reach a minimum of 150 signatures within 30 days, and to cross the second threshold a petition needs at least 100,000 signatures within 30 days.
Other than that, you can also sign petitions that lobby against the pet meat trade, animal cruelty, abuse & neglect, animal testing on cosmetics, and more. Hundreds of causes that fight to protect animal welfare can benefit from your support.
7. Foster a shelter pet.
Every year, shelters put down millions of animals because they no longer have the budget to take care of them. One way to help relieve the strain on your local shelter’s resources is to volunteer to foster for some of their animals. Fostering requires that you provide for an animal’s basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and affection, while they are in transition towards their permanent home.
By fostering, you can commit to helping prepare animals physically and emotionally for adoption. Often, many animals that need fostering come from backgrounds of neglect, abuse, or abandonment. They may need to be in an understanding and loving household so they can learn how to to trust humans again.
8. Adopt an animal.
Lastly, one of the most life-changing ways that you can help your animal shelter is by adopting a pet from them. Not only will you walk out with a loving companion that will give you the endless benefits of pet ownership for life, but you will also help your local shelter to consume fewer resources.
In addition, be a vocal advocate for adopting animals instead of shopping for them. Whether it’s with family, friends, or your local community, sharing about the many benefits of adoption can help encourage people to give an abandoned animal a second chance at a happy life in a loving home.
Any help for animal shelters is good to help.
The work of protecting animal welfare is never-ending. With this, there are infinite ways that you can contribute to the protection of animals in your own way. You can donate, help spread awareness, and even bring in a furry friend or two into your home. If you’re serious about helping animals, you don’t have to go too far to find a place that will need your help.
While it may appear like a thankless job, all you need to see is one happily rehomed pet to know that it is all worth the effort.