How Can You Help an Animal Shelter?
There are many ways to help an animal shelter. You can donate items or foster a pet. You can also inform family and friends about spaying/neutering pets. Adoption is another option to help shelters. Learn more about these ways you can help.
Fostering
If you are passionate about animals, consider adopting an animal from an animal shelter. Shelters often have many animals in need of homes and foster care can provide the individual attention they require to survive. Generally, foster care is free of charge and most rescue groups will cover the cost of food and medical care for the foster pet. In exchange for fostering a pet, you will also get to meet other animals and learn about their personalities.
Foster care can help you and your community feel closer to the animals. It also shows the volunteer’s life-saving efforts. It also gives homeless pets alternative housing and helps prevent the development of “kennel behaviors.” Moreover, fostering a dog helps a shelter save more space for an adoptable dog, and it allows them to socialize and market the animal while it’s in foster care. Fostering helps shelters learn more about the dog, and the environment in which he will live.
Donating items
A great way to help animals in distress is to donate items to an animal shelter. There are many items that you can donate, including food. Shelters are most likely to request food. Many shelters prefer specific brands. If you’d like to donate specific items, look for an animal shelter’s wish list.
Donated items can help an animal shelter care for even more animals. Donated items can make an enormous difference in the lives and well-being of animals in crisis, whether they are toys for dogs or cats, office supplies or any other items. Even staplers, paper, and other items are appreciated. Many shelters also use donated items as beds, and other items can be used as toys for dogs. According to the ASPCA there are approximately 8 million animals that enter shelters each year.
Educate family and friends about spaying/neutering
Spaying or neutering an animal will reduce the number of animals that are left in shelters. It can also prevent behavioral and medical problems. Spayed and neutered animals will live longer and are less likely to suffer from diseases. In addition, they will not become as fat or lazy, which is a common problem with unaltered pets.
Spaying and neutering an animal can help prevent major health issues, including uterine cancer. Spaying a female reduces the risk of developing uterine infections. A neutered male has a lower chance of developing prostate cancer or testicular carcinoma. Also, breast and uterine cancers are less common in males.
Start a fundraiser
A fundraiser is one of the best ways to raise funds for your local shelter. One option is to host a walk or a dog run. This can be organised by staff, volunteers, and the local community. A walk-a-thon is another popular fundraising idea. Participants must make a small donation in order to participate.
Another option is to partner with other nonprofits within your locality. These nonprofits can help your reach a wider audience.
