How to Donate Beds to Animal Shelters
Animals in shelters live a life of very little luxury. By donating beds and blankets to your local animal shelter, you can bring a small piece of comfort to animals in need. Whether you purchase the beds or make them from scratch, your act of performing this much-needed public service allows more funds to go to the direct care of the animals instead of towards supplies. If you decide to make beds for donation, the only skill required is knowing how to sew a straight line.
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Instructions
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Find a shelter by asking among friends or calling the local humane society or animal control center.
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Search online resources such as The Snuggle Project and Petfinder.com for a shelter, rescue organization or sanctuary near you.
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Call the organization of your choice and make sure they accept donations. Inquire about the size of their cages and if they have a preference on the size and material of animal bedding.
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Decide whether you will make the beds or purchase them. Consider the durability and care of the beds you will be donating. Blankets need to be extremely durable to withstand the heavy use they will receive. Ideal blankets are machine washable at high temperatures for health and sanitation reasons.
Sewing an Animal Bed
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Pre-wash the polar fleece and towels that you intend to use for this project. The towels do not need to be new or unstained. Old towels that are ready for the rag bin are perfect for this project.
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Cut two pieces of polar fleece and one towel to the required size. According to the Snuggles Project, which focuses on donating beds and blankets to shelters, beds are typically 14-inches square for small cats and dogs, 24-inches square for large cats and small dogs and 36-inches square for medium and large dogs.
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Layer the bed so that the towel lays between the two pieces of polar fleece.
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Use a sewing machine to join the fabric pieces together. Sew all four edges. Sew lines, an "X" pattern or decorative swirls through the center of the blankets.
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Cut any loose threads that remain on the bed.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid heated beds, foam beds and overly stuffed beds when purchasing manufactured animal beds for donation. They will not stand up to the abuse and frequent washings that shelter bedding is subjected to.
Avoid unnecessary decorations that may pose a health or safety hazard to shelter animals. Most shelter animals are not supervised 24 hours a day and can easily pull off trims, ribbons and embroidery. Choking and strangulation may result.
