27 CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP ANIMAL SHELTERS
WorldsBestCatLitter.com 4/16/19
Feeling inspired to help the pets in your community but aren’t sure where to start? There are so many ways you can be of help to the animals who need it most and the people who care for them. One great place to start is to figure out what you’re good at and use those skills to help spread awareness, volunteer or collect donations.
1. HOST A FUNDRAISER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Platforms like Facebook are making it easier than ever to host fundraisers to donate money directly to an organization of your choosing. This year, for your birthday try hosting a social media fundraiser to collect money for your local shelter – you never know who might contribute.
2. MAKE AND DONATE DIY TOYS
Brighten a shelter pet’s day by crafting some DIY to donate. You can make toys from many household items like spare socks or old clothes. Add a little catnip for some added fun.
3. VOLUNTEER AT THE SHELTER
One of the most useful ways to help out is to volunteer at the shelter. You never know what help the shelter may need, so even a couple days a week can be a huge help to their staff and pets.
4. START A KNITTING OR CRAFT GROUP & DONATE BLANKETS
Animal shelters are nearly always in need of blankets and other places for animals to curl up. Knitting or crafting blankets that can be donated, will help provide many animals with a warm, comfortable place to sleep.
5. ADOPT A PET
The other most obvious and helpful way to help shelters is to adopt one of their available animals. Adopting a longstanding shelter resident, special needs or senior pet is especially appreciated as these animals have a harder time finding forever homes.
6. BUY ONE, GIVE ONE
The next time you’re out shopping for litter or pet food, buy a second bag or box. Inquire with the store as to whether they offer the option to leave your donation at a receptacle to later be brought to a shelter, as many grocers and stores offer this option.
7. FOSTER AN ANIMAL
If you aren’t able to permanently adopt an animal but may be able to help care for one for a few months – try volunteering as a foster parent. Fosters are extremely helpful when it comes to young pets or animals with health problems who need more personalized care.
8. VOLUNTEER TO TRANSPORT ANIMALS
If you have a safe, reliable vehicle on hand, consider volunteering to transport animals to and from veterinary hospitals, fosters or other locations.
9. SHARE THE SHELTER’S EVENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is a valuable tool when it comes to spreading the word about events and more. Simply clicking “share” on a local shelter’s upcoming event can help bring visibility and awareness of the event to hundreds more people.
10. VOLUNTEER TO HELP WALK PETS
Regular exercise is extremely important for shelter animals and is an enjoyable way to help out. Ask your local shelter if they are interested in accepting volunteers to help exercise the animals by taking them on walks indoors or out.
11. BUY SOMETHING OFF THE SHELTER’S WISH LIST
Most shelters keep a wish list of items they need on Amazon or on their website. While donating items you already have on hand is helpful—this ensures you are meeting the shelter’s most pressing needs.
12. VOLUNTEER YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Whether you are a lawyer, carpenter, social media manager or accountant, it’s likely that local animal shelters could use your expertise to help keep the shelter operating at its best.
13. LEARN HOW TO TEACH OBEDIENCE
Obedience is a skill that often helps dogs to get adopted more quickly, as is often extremely helpful to dogs with little training. Whether you have experience in the field or are willing to learn about it, helping provide this training can be extremely influential in driving adoptions.
14. HOLD A PARTY OR EVENT AT THE SHELTER
Got a birthday, anniversary or even a wedding coming up? Host your event at the local animal shelter and encourage guests to adopt. You can even ask that donations be made in place of gifts to you.
15. FIND USEFUL FREE ITEMS ONLINE & COLLECT THEM FOR THE SHELTER
Tons of items are listed for free online every day on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Try keeping an eye out for useful items like cat furniture or crates, then collect those items to donate them to a shelter in need.
16. HELP HANG FLYERS AROUND TOWN
Whether for an event or to help a long-term resident of the shelter get adopted, hanging flyers at local establishments about town can help to spread the word and encourage action.
17. TURN YOUR NEXT BBQ OR BLOCK PARTY INTO A SUPPLY DRIVE
Any event can be used as an opportunity to invite guests to bring contributions that can be donated to a local shelter. Make it easier for your guests to contribute by sending out a list of items the shelter is in need of ahead of time!
18. USE OLD T-SHIRTS TO MAKE BLANKETS
Did Marie Kondo convince you to finally clean through those drawers of free t-shirts you’ve collected throughout the years? Don’t toss those! You can use them to create comfy blankets for pets in need.
19. HELP SOCIALIZE CATS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Many animals in shelters need practice socializing with humans to get comfortable spending time around them. Volunteering to spend time playing and snuggling with cats and other animals can help them to get adopted more quickly.
20. HELP SPREAD AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ABOUT SPAY/NEUTER
One of the most important things you can do to help shelters in the long run is to educate your friends and family about the benefits of spaying and neutering their cats and dogs. Doing so will help to reduce unwanted pregnancies and keep litters of kittens and puppies from ending up in shelters.
21. DONATE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Though our first thought is usually to donate items for the pets at shelters, household items like pet-safe cleaners and supplies are also very helpful for keeping the shelter clean and safe.
22. HOST A RESTAURANT/BAR HAPPY HOUR FUNDRAISER
Whether you work at a restaurant or are a regular patron, try asking if the establishment would be willing to host an event where a percent of proceeds is donated to a local shelter. You could even create a signature drink for the event and offer $1 from each drink purchased as a donation.
23. SET UP A DONATION BOX
Whether it’s in your office or at a town location, try setting up a donation box (with approval from the appropriate parties). Physically seeing a donation box will help encourage your coworkers or fellow townspeople to donate their spare change.
24. DONATE NATURAL PET SUPPLIES
While any pet supplies are always appreciated, natural products are typically safer for the animals’ and caretakers’ health. For cats in particular, young kittens should not use clay litters so donating litter made form natural ingredients is especially helpful.
25. VOLUNTEER TO TAKE PORTRAITS OF THE ANIMALS
Are you a photographer? Volunteer to snap portraits of the cats and other pets to help them get adopted faster!
26. HOST A BAKE SALE
When in doubt, go with a classic fundraiser like a bake sale. Have members of your community donate some of their best baked goods and donate proceeds from the sale to your local shelter.
27. ORGANIZE A “FASHION” SHOW
Last but not at all least—if you really want to make a splash and help shelter pets get their moment in the spotlight, try hosting a fashion show where cats, dogs, pigs and more get to strut their stuff down the catwalk for all to see. The show will help its stars find forever homes and is sure to gain a lot of local attention for participating shelters. Take it over the top by inviting local vendors to provide food and drinks.
When it comes to helping your local animal shelter, there’s no limit to the creative ways you can offer support to the animals that need it most. Many shelters rely on volunteers like you to provide donations and volunteer, and will be so grateful for any help you can offer.
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