Five Things Anyone Can Do To Help Pets
Interested in helping pets? There are a lot of ways to help orphan or needy pets in your community and help keep the focus on the true spirit of the season!
1. Collect Items Your Local Shelter or Charity-of-Choice Can Use
Most animal groups are in constant need of donations of pet food, toys, blankets, towels and other items to help keep pets happy and cozy while they wait for a forever home. It doesn’t have to be a lot – gather a few blankets or towels you no longer need, or pick up a few extra cans or a bag of pet food to drop off. Any of these items will make the holidays a little brighter for an orphaned pet. Many groups have a wishlist of items they are especially in need of, too.
2. Sign Up to Volunteer
Many pet rescues and organization need volunteers. Call a local organization and ask how to get started as a volunteer, or go online and complete an application. **Tip! If you can’t volunteer regularly, many pet rescues and facilities do events throughout the year to raise funds for their adoptable pets and programs. Be sure to ask for those dates and mark them off on your calendar!
- Visit www.volunteermatch.org to find opportunities in your local area
- Use the Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption organization search tool to discover new pet rescues and facilities close to you
- Volunteer opportunities at Helen Woodward Animal Center
3. Get Your Kids Involved
The holiday season is a great time to teach kids about the importance of giving back, and the joy it can bring! Here are a few activities that inspire compassion for animals and give back to animals in need:
- Walk dogs in your neighborhood and donate the money to an animal shelter or rescue
- Decorate mason jars or cans to collect coins
- Create cat toys out of recycled fabric for cats and kittens in rescues or shelters
Bianca, a junior pet lover in San Diego, sold flowers to her neighbors to raise money for pets. As you can see, the puppies were VERY grateful!
4. Make a Donation
‘Tis the season for giving, and there’s no better time than the end of the year to send a gift to your favorite cause. For nonprofits, every donation helps, no matter the size, and many rely on individuals like you to provide the majority of funding needed to carry on their work.
Did you know 90% of adoptable pets at Helen Woodward Animal Center come from overburdened shelters or crisis situations? Click the button below to help adoptable pets at Helen Woodward Animal Center.
5. Amazon Wish Lists
Ask for gifts to your favorite charity on your Amazon Universal Wish List in lieu of traditional gifts. If you haven’t already, install the “Add to Wishlist” button to your browser to add items from any site to your list. Then, just navigate to your cause’s donate page and click the button to add it!
Thank you for supporting orphaned pets in your community! Together, we can make a difference!