Help Your Local Animal Shelter – Without Time or Money!

You Don’t HAVE To Have Loads of Time (Or Money) To Help Your Local Animal Shelter

Of course you want to help animals in distress, and a great way to do that is to help your local animal shelter. But what if you’re short of time – and perhaps short of money too?

Here are some great ways you can help out – you’ll be glad to act on at least one of them.

A large part of living a green and ecofriendly life is having empathy for all living beings. There is nearly always an animal shelter of some type nearby, so here are some great ways to help.

First, we’ll look at some quick and easy ways, and then we’ll look at how to use your skills and have fun – and provide much-needed assistance at the same time!

Quick and Easy Ways to Help An Animal Shelter

Walking: Do you spend an hour exercising? Perhaps you go to a class or to the gym. Once a week, why don’t you change it up, and take shelter dogs for a brisk walk instead? You’ll still get your exercise, and the dogs will enjoy new smells, getting out and socializing.This activity has huge psychological and physical benefits for animals waiting to be adopted.

Social: Are you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr or other social media? Then share the profiles of adoptable animals to your followers! It’s almost no effort at all, yet you might just connect a desperate animal with a forever family.

Shopping: When you’re doing your weekly or monthly shopping, pick up items that animal shelters often need, such as food, toys, bedding, litter or cleaning supplies. You’re there anyway, so it’s no extra effort. Then drop off the supplies on the way home.

Use Your Skills to Help An Animal Shelter!

All of us are good at something – often many things! When you’re good at a skill, you enjoy doing it. So, do something you’re good at and enjoy – and let it help an animal shelter at the same time.

You’ll be surprised at how many skills can be utilized to benefit shelters. Here are some examples:

Good With Social Media: Social media is hugely important for spreading the word about adoptable pets – shelters need to post updates frequently (who is looking for a new home, who was adopted out successfully (everyone loves success stories), requests for supplies or donations, and other news). If you can help with scheduling updates, you might help more animals find forever homes.

Good with Photography: Digital cameras mean there’s no cost involved in taking photos. High-quality photos for adoption profiles often help animals get adopted more quickly. Photograph animals while showing off their personality and making them look their best.

Good With Websites: An animal shelter needs a professional-looking website that is updated regularly. For example, you could design the site, or schedule upcoming events information, calls for donations, and blog updates.

Good With Dog Training: A dog that will sit, stay and walk well on a leash or lead is much more likely to be adopted. Offer your skills as a trainer for shelter dogs. Or if you’re a novice, take a dog to obedience classes where you can both learn.

Good with Animal Behaviour: Offer to do behavior evaluations for new arrivals – assess the animal’s personality and social skill level. You could identify any triggers for behavior problems, which will help find out what kind of home they need to thrive.

Good With Crafts: Make toys from old t-shirts or jeans or blankets. Sew attractive “Adopt Me” bandannas for animals to wear at events or while walking.

Good With Financials: Shelters often need help with keeping track of fees, donations, grants and expenses.

Good With The Law: Some shelters will appreciate assistance with legal forms, contracts, copyright and more.

Good With DIY: Perhaps you can help with some renovations, painting or other work to repair and improve shelters. Or fence a new play area or build a new cat scratch patch, climbing bars or cat tree.

Good With Finding Free Stuff: If you’re handy with finding free items on Craig’s List, Freecycle, eBay and other resources, then search for items that can be used as bedding, toys etc. and collect them to donate to a shelter.

2 Other Things To Do

These last 2 aren’t free and they do take a bit of time, but are well worth doing if you can:

Appreciate the Carers: Shelter workers are totally devoted to the animals in their care, but are often over-worked, stressed and under-paid. So a small sign of appreciation is huge. Send a thank you card. Pick some local flowers or buy some for them. Deliver cakes, or have pizza delivered for all the staff. When the staff are encouraged and energized, all the animals in the shelter benefit from that positive energy.

Raise Funds for the Shelter: Here are some ideas:

1. If you’re having a party, ask guests to bring something for the shelter, or put a money jar next to the drinks station.
2. When it’s your birthday, ask friends to give a gift for the shelter instead of for you
3. Ask coworkers to make donations for one week.
4. Get help from school teachers and students for donation drives, cake sales or raffles.
5. Do a Fun Run or Walk and get friends to sponsor you, then donate the money to your local shelter.

Summary

You don’t need a lot of time or money to really make a difference to your local animal shelter.

Swap out your normal exercise routine once a week to walk dogs (and still get your exercise). Share adoptable animals on your social media. Whatever skills you have, can be used to benefit any shelter, whether you can DIY, design a website, provide accounting records, take photos, train animals or more. You can also show appreciation to the shelter workers, and fundraise.

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Do you help your local shelter? Do you have more ideas on how to help?Let me know now in the comments below.

Warm regards,

P.S.  Don’t forget to download your free green living handbook “Live Well, Live Green” here.

Related:

• Your social media activity may NOT be helping your animal shelter.
• Do you want social justice for all? There’s an app for that – try it here.