How to Support Homeless Pets

In addition to the obvious--there is an array of easy ways to help homeless pets in our daily lives that many of us are not even aware of. From buying groceries--to choosing a check design--to simply clicking your mouse--these tips will get you started on learning how you can help abandoned pets.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Donate money and supplies to animal organizations, shelters and rescues. There are also sanctuaries that provide a safe haven for abused or injured animals to live out their lives--for instance, Best Friends Sanctuary gives a second chance to dogs, cats and other animals that need special care and Maple Farm Sanctuary provides a home for a variety of animals such as pigs, cows, goats and horses (See Resources below).
2. Sponsor a shelter dog or cat with a monthly donation. You can choose a local shelter or a national organization such as the ASPCA, where for as little as $18 a month (60 cents a day) you can provide food, veterinary care and love to a shelter pet (See Resources below).
3. Visit the Animal Rescue Site and Care2's Race for Pets in Need (See Resources below) and click daily. Your free clicks help generate donations for homeless pets. You can also shop at the Animal Rescue Site store. A percentage from each purchase goes toward feeding and care of rescued animals.
4. Support fundraising events for animal organizations, rescues and shelters, which can range from buying a ticket to a comedy show or concert to participating in a walk-a-thon—or sponsor your own fundraiser. Websites such as First Giving enable you to raise funds online and Changing The Present allows you to set up fundraising drives and gift registries to benefit animal welfare organizations, as well as sponsor animals—including adoptable pets with exams, vaccines, spaying/neutering and microchips (See Resources below).
5. Attend local pet adoption events and spread the word to your friends and family. Also spread the word about specific pets that are up for adoption by posting flyers and telling people you know.
6. Find out if your grocery store club card can be linked to an animal rescue organization. Many stores give you the option of choosing a community charity to receive a percentage of what you spend (at no extra cost to you), and very often there’s an animal group on the list.
7. Purchase your personal checks from Checks in the Mail and choose a dog or cat design. They will donate a percentage of the proceeds to the ASPCA. Besides helping animals, you will be helping yourself, since their prices are normally lower than what banks charge (See Resources below).
8. Check if there is a thrift store in your area that donates a percentage to an animal rescue organization or shelter. You may have to do some calling around. If you find one, donate the stuff from that "garage sale" you keep postponing.
9. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or rescue. Any amount of time can make a world of difference and there are many ways to help including walking dogs, playing with cats, cleaning cages and office work.
10. Foster a dog or cat for an animal rescue or shelter. They have limited space and rely on good Samaritans to temporarily house rescued pets while they work on finding them permanent homes. They will often reimburse for food and care if you’re on a limited budget.

Tips & Warnings

• If someone tells you they are considering getting a dog or cat, suggest they go to a shelter or animal rescue where they can find puppies and kittens, as well as adult dogs and cats. If they have a specific breed of dog in mind, tell them purebred dogs average about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter's population. Petfinder.com lists thousands of dogs that are awaiting homes in shelters and can be searched by breed. Also, let them know there are breed-specific rescues for just about every breed from Lhasa Apso to Labradoodle. They can find one through the google search by typing in the name of the breed, followed by the word "rescue."
• Educate people, especially children, about the importance of spaying/neutering and being responsible pet owners. Spread the word about the numbers of dogs and cats in overcrowded shelters of which only about half end up getting adopted.
• October has been designated by the ASPCA as Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month in order to raise awareness and promote adoption of pets from shelters.
• Never buy a dog from a pet store. Sadly, most pet stores purchase their dogs from “puppy mills,” which put profit before the health and welfare of their animals. The dogs that don’t sell as puppies often end up in shelters. By not purchasing dogs from pet stores, you can help to eventually shut down puppy mills and greatly decrease the number of homeless pets.