There Are Many Actions You Can Take to Help an Animal in Need

Have you ever wondered how you can change a pet’s life? It may seem like a huge undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. There are so many ways that you can make difference to an animal, whether it’s in a shelter, being fostered, or living out its life in a sanctuary. Don’t worry if you are short on time or lacking funds, there are still ways that you can help make the life of an animal better. We’ll go over some different ideas of how you can help an animal in need and maybe you’ll find one that seems like a good fit.

Adopting

Adopting an animal from a shelter is definitely a huge way to change a pet’s life. When you take an animal home, you are giving them a safe place to live, nutritious meals they can depend on, important veterinary care, and love and affection. Not only will this change an animal’s life, it will change yours too. The benefits of having an animal are endless. They offer ultimate companionship, whether you are looking for an exercise partner to go jogging with or a buddy to cuddle with, there is a dog out there for you.

If you aren’t quite ready to adopt, that’s ok. There are plenty of other ways that you can change a pet’s life. Here are a few things to consider, that may have a big impact on an animal.

Fostering

If you aren’t in a position to have an animal for the long-term, you may want to consider fostering. There are many ways to foster an animal, all of which provide them with enrichment, a break from the shelter, and the chance to have a normal pet life.

• Fostering bottle babies: Each year during kitten season, many motherless newborn kittens are brought into shelters in urgent need of care. In situations like these, it’s imperative to have fosters who can bottle feed babies every few hours and keep them warm and safe, in an effort to keep them alive.
• Foster from a rescue: You can fill out an application with a local rescue and foster a dog for different periods of time, maybe for a weekend, or for as long as it takes for them to get adopted. In many instances, the rescue will cover the costs of veterinary visits, food, and other supplies.
• Day trip fostering: Some shelters allow the public to foster a dog for the day and have fun experience, like a trip to the beach, a hike on a local trail, or a pupaccino and hanging out on a couch and snuggling.
• 4 Days 4 Life fostering: A lot of shelters have a special short-term foster option during the time surrounding the 4th of July. For each dog fostered, there is additional kennel space for a dog who got loose because of scary fireworks. Ultimately this will give the lost dog a safe space while it waits to be reunited with its owner, and gives a shelter dog a nice place to relax for a few days.

Donating

There are lots of ways in which you can donate to an animal in need and below are just a few options:

• Sponsoring the adoption fee (in part on in full) can make the difference to someone who may be a little short on funds, but otherwise ready to provide a loving home to a homeless animal.
• Donate toward the medical expenses of an injured or ill animal at a rescue. Many special needs animals are pulled from shelters by dedicated rescues who are then responsible for all medical expenses, including those for surgeries, rehabilitation, treatments, and medications. These expenses can add up quickly, and many times there are unexpected fees on top of already hefty vet bills. Rescues place animals in foster homes and work hard to help them heal to be healthy enough for adoption.
• Donate much-needed items: Many shelters have wishlists on their websites of items that they are in need of. These items may include crates, pee pads, food, dish soap, laundry detergent, and other things that are used on a daily basis. You can purchase items and have them delivered to the shelter, or purchase them in stores and bring them in. New and used blankets and towels are always needed, so the next time you go through your linen closet, take a look for some items that you no longer use. It’s pretty likely that your local shelter would be very happy to receive that donation.

Volunteering

Volunteering with animals is extremely rewarding and fulfilling. As a volunteer you can work on socializing an animal to help them become more adoptable. You may take them on walks and work on their leash skills, teach basic commands such as sit and stay, or comfort them when they don’t feel well. Maybe you are really skilled at administrative office work; in that case, there are plenty of options that you may be able to help with, including organizing paperwork for adoption events, updating computer documents, etc. If you are good at taking pictures and spend a lot of time on social media, you can help network adoptable animals. If you consider yourself to be a “people person” then you may want to greet visitors, answer questions, and even recruit more volunteers.

Every Little Thing Helps

Whether you use any of these ideas, or come up with others, anything you do to help improve the life of an animal in a shelter will make a difference. Even the smallest gestures are so appreciated by animals (and the people caring for them) who are in a transition period as they wait for their forever home.