5 Ways To Help Shelter Pets

  Posted on March 18, 2013  by Joy of Living  No comments

The Spring 2013 issue of Modern Dog magazine offers some different ideas for helping shelter pets until they find a forever home.  Check out these fun suggestions:

• Shelters are often in need of blankets to help cozy up pet kennels and cages.  Do you knit or crochet?  If so, consider gathering a group of friends together to form a blanket making circle.  It’ll be a fun get-together with friends and you’ll be helping homeless pets too!
• Shelters have found that good pictures of shelter pets goes far in helping them get adopted faster.  If you enjoy taking pictures, consider volunteering to photograph shelter pets.  It will be fun for you and will definitely help the pets find forever homes!
• Along with pictures, pets sporting pieces of “flair” such as bandanas have a much better chance of finding homes.  Are you a good crafter?  If so, consider making bandanas for shelter pets.  Even if you’re not good with a sewing machine, bandanas are easy to make.  Buy some inexpensive twill fabric, then cut into various triangle sizes that will work for different neck sizes.  The dogs don’t mind if the edges aren’t finished.
• How about a cakewalk?  Pretty much everyone loves cake, so gather together some friends and plan a cakewalk to benefit your local animal shelter.  Cakewalks are a lot like musical chairs, except there aren’t any chairs.  Tape numbers in a circle on the floor and set up a table to display the donated cakes.  For each round, be sure there is one person participating for each number on the floor.  Each person buys a ticket to be eligible to participate.  Everyone walks around the circle with the music playing and stops at the closest number when the music stops.  When everyone stops, a number is drawn out of a hat and the person standing on the number drawn gets to select a cake.  Then start over with a new round of players.  Rounds continue until all cakes have been selected.  The money collected from ticket sales can then be donated to your local animal shelter…..sweet!
• Start a toy drive.  Shelters can always use toys for the pets in their care. With nice weather around the corner, many people will be having get-togethers.  For your next get-together, suggest guests bring a toy for donation to a local shelter.

These are some fun and easy ways to make a difference for homeless pets in your area, and they will definitely appreciate your efforts!