Animal shelters and animal welfare agencies are always in need of volunteers. They need money too! But besides donating money, there are many other ways you can help.
Did you know that you can welcome a dog? Yes, many shelters don’t have enough space for all the animals they bring in, so they need people to house these animals until they can be placed in a permanent home. Or sometimes a dog may be sick or too young to be adopted. What fun to care for one of these dogs until they are ready to be adopted.
Some shelter dogs could use obedience training and you can be the one to take them there. You can volunteer your time at the shelter where you can walk the dogs, clean the kennels, or work in the office.
If you are computer literate, you can help create adoption event posters or create adoption information brochures. If you are a photographer, you can take photos of dogs that need adoption. Many shelters post their dogs online and need good photos to show potential adopters.
You can use your own vehicle to help transport dogs, whether it’s taking a foster dog to a vet appointment or picking up a dog that needs to be rescued and taken to the shelter. If you are a breeder, could you donate a portion of the money you earn from each puppy to an animal shelter?
Did you know that some agencies rescue dogs out of state? You can donate your frequent flyer miles to bring a dog from another area to the safety of the shelter. You could even notify the shelter when you’re flying and be the one to escort a dog back to the shelter.
If you have an extra bowl, or some toys, or an outgrown collar for your dog, donate them. All help is welcome. These are just a few of the many things you can do to help a dog in a shelter. Just call and ask what you can do to volunteer or fill out an online application that many of the shelters are now using.
And if you know someone who has gone above and beyond to help rescue and care for unwanted or abandoned dogs, you can share their story online and give them the special recognition they deserve: http://www.adopt-the-right -dog.com/dog-rescue-shelters.html
