How to Help Animal Shelters and 9 Ways You Can Make a Difference : The animal shelter is a place to give temporary protection from many things, such as danger or bad weather. It is a shielded place, which gives them protection. A lot of animals like cats and dogs live all together there. Usually, when a person wants to adopt any animal, he contacts these animal shelters for that. And by doing this, they can help animals also.
But, unfortunately, not all animals get adopted and need funds to support them. There are many ways to help animals and shelters, and hence the animals. If you are also here to know more to help animal shelters, then you are reading the right article, because here, we are going to tell you about many ways to help animals only. To know more to help animals, read our article till the end.
Importance of Animal Shelters
Who doesn’t love animals? There are many dog lovers, who donate and give funds to animal shelters for animals and their good health. Animal shelters play a very vital role for un-adopted animals, as they provide all the important things, which are required for them, such as food, water, protection from elements, care when they are not fine, and a caring person. There are several types of medical care, which are required and help animals.
All the workers at the animal shelter do many jobs like giving food, personal care to them, giving enough space to them, coordinating pet adoptions, etc. They take care of two things mainly- animal shelters and convincing people to adopt them. All these works are done quietly to help animals. They don’t want any kind of praise, in fact, saving more and more animals is their target and their praise as well.
How Many Dogs are in Animal Shelters?
There are a huge number of god lovers all around the world. Although, this figure is different for all shelters and may vary for other states and shelters. According to the United states animal shelter, out of 6.3 million, there are 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats. According to their 2011 data, there were approximately 2.6 million animals, which were euthanized in the United States.
But these days, people are adopting them in a very good number, so, the euthanized number has decreased these days, which is a good thing.
Now we are going to tell you how can we help animalsby adoptingand donating things to them. All the dog-lovers, who can’t adopt and bring them to their homes, would love to help by donating things.
How to Help Animal Shelters?
Helping animals is the biggest happiness, especially for the pet-lovers. We can help animals in several ways, such as by giving your time as a volunteer, or by donating them some funds. Let’s have a look atthese 9 ways by which you can make a difference and help animals living in animal shelters. Now we will tell you what do animal shelters need. These are as follows:
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By raising money for new facilities
All animal helpers want to help animals in multiple ways.Helping paws animal shelter by raising funds for the new facilities can make a change in their lives, it will make a big difference in the quality of their living style. And by using these facilities, more animals, as compared to older shelters, can live there. By donating money in aspca donation you can also donate the amount.
You may help animal shelters by starting a fundraiser to help more and more animals. There are many shelters, which provide many facilities to help animals including indoor and outdoor activities and exercise areas.
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Volunteer your time
You may help animalsby volunteering. You can give your valuable time to their care. There are many animal shelters and animal rescue organizations, which are in need of volunteers, you may contact them and start your work. You can help animal shelters by doing many things, like taking dogs to walk, cleaning kennels, feeding them, socializing them, and adopting them in the adoption process. You can also help animals as foster parents.
Volunteering can be done online also. You can help animal shelters by working from your home also, like writing newsletters, posting their ads on social media, sending mailers, and many more. These can be done from your home only.
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By giving toys
All animals are toys-lovers. You can donate your old toys to play with and help animals. They will be happy and entertained by that. But take care of toy hygiene also, all toys should be hygienically clean. As they play by taking these toys into their mouths. Don’t give broken, breakable, or unsafe toys. Always give them branded or durable toys, which will really help animals.
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Start a medical fundraiser
Thinking to help animals? And searching for more ways to help animal shelters? Helping paws animal shelterby starting a fundraiser is another good optionby covering their n expensive medical treatments and vaccinations. By doing this, you can help many animals’ lives. You can help your medical fund by raising money for surgery also.
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Raise money for shelter supplies
The biggest expense of any shelter is food supplies. As there are multiple animals in one shelter and they all need food and other supplies. You can help animal shelters by raising your fund for shelter supplies. You may even donate pet foods and other pet edible things, such as peanut butter, hot dogs, fresh vegetables, etc. to help animals.
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Newspapers
Another common item you can help animal shelters is newspapers, but not all animal shelters require them, so ask your animal shelter for newspaper donations before donating them. Newspapers get soiled very fast, so in many cases, these are required. If these newspapers are needed there, you may donate them instead of throwing or recycling them. it can be a big help for the animal shelter.
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Donating towels and blankets
Towels are blankets are used on daily basis. Towels are used for wiping their body after the bath. And blankets are used for bedding purposes, these are very useful in winters to keep them warm and comfortable. And they can have a good nap.
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Organize a virtual or physical adoption event
You may organize an adoption event with a local rescue help. They will help you by telling you how to organize an event and what can be the best type of event. Due to covid-19, these camps are getting canceled. So, these days, these camps are organized virtually.
Animals’ photos and videos are posted there on those websites. And from there, anyone, who is interested in adopting that animal, may contact you and then easily adopt that animal.
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Sponsor an animal
Another way to help animals is by sponsoring any animal. You may bear it’s all major expenses. You may even help with veterinary bills of any pet living in that shelter.
This donation really makes a difference in a pet’s life, and hence the animal shelter as well. You may even ask your dog lover friend for the same to Sponsor an animal.
How to help homeless dogs?
Dogs living in animal shelters are safe and protected from many things including weather. But, there are many dogs, which can’t find any home or shelter. We can help animal shelters as well. There are many ways to help animals. These are:
- Give water to drink whenever you see: These animals get dehydrated very soon, especially in summers. You may help animals by giving them water whenever you see them on the way.
- Providing them a roof: Although all animals can find temporary shelter under a building or any structure. You may even help animals by building a small shelter in a compound or some safe place.
- Pay attention to them: These animals get paw burns when they go in summers sunrays. You can help animals by treating their burns. Wash them with antibacterial soap, apply for medicine and take them to the vet, if required, and this will lead help animals.
How to donate to local animal shelters?
Animal shelters also need donations. It is not necessary to donate money only. There are many things, by donating them also you can help your local animal shelter.
A few of them are:
- Donate your household items: Pet foods and supplies are not the only things, they require. You can donate them many other things as well, such as Newspapers, paper towels, Hand sanitizers, Trash bags, etc.
- Donate your skills: such as photography. You can make their good videos and post them to the adoption websites.
- Donate stuff and other used items: Such as water and food, Toys, Pet beds, Blankets, Towels, and other required things.
- Fundraising Events: You can organize or help in the organization of fundraising events.
How do animal shelters get funding?
Animal shelters are a very safe and protected place for these un-adopted animals. They provide all the care and attention they need including providing help in searching for dog owners and volunteers.
As we told you earlier also, these shelters also need some fund-related help. A few ways are as follows:
- Yearly donations
- Crowdfunding
- Fundraisers
- Grants, and
- In-kind donations
Conclusion
All animals need care, attention, protection, and love, and un-adopted pets can have all these things at an animal shelter only. Luckily there are people, who adopt them from shelters and help animals. But, unfortunately, not all animals get owners and live in these shelters only.
These shelters also need funds to help animals. We can help these animal shelters by donating things, pet foods, used things, and many other things. And of course, by donating funds as well.
FAQs
1. Why do animals need shelter?
Animals need shelters to live there. Shelters protect them from rain, summers, winters, and many other things. Workers of shelters help animalsby providing other requirements, such as food, medical care, etc.
2. What do animal shelters need the most?
Animal shelters require everything, which ate required for pets, such as Pet food, food, and their bowls, towels, blankets, and more dedicated volunteers to help animals.
3. What is online volunteering?
You can help animal shelter by working for them as a volunteer. But it is not necessary that you have to go physically and work to help animals, it can be done online also. You can arrange or organize virtual events like adoption events.
4. Can we adopt a pet from animal shelters?
Yes, it is a good option to adopt it from there to help animals. By this, they will have a home and a family.
5. How can we search for a good animal shelter?
We can search animal shelters manually by asking your friends and in your township to help or adopt them. And if we can’t find any animal shelter nearby, then we can search it on google as well. We will surely get a link or lead for that.
6. How can I help an animal shelter?
We can help an animal shelter in many ways: such as by donating food and clothes, volunteering, becoming a foster parent, Adopting a pet, etc.
7. How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
It depends on its bread, color, and many other factors also. And after adopting animals, there are many expenses, such as vaccination, training, food, other medical expenses, etc. You must all these things in your mind when you are going to adopt a dog.
8. Do animal shelters need old towels and clothes?
Yes, they need all clothes and blankets and they can make them wear in winter, especially the blankets. Towels are used on a daily basis, like wiping them after making them a bath.
9. Can I help animal shelters without spending money?
Yes, you can help them without money as well, like telling your friends about dogs and dog shelters, asking them for birthday donations, explain people for donation, fostering an animal, giving your time as a volunteer and there are many things you can help by them, that too without spending money.
