The local animal shelter is a God-send to lost, abandoned, and unwanted animals. Laws will vary, but, usually, the organization is limited as to the number and types of animals it can take. Most animal shelters pray and plead for a shoe-string budget, seeing that they are operating on less than that. There are several ways to help. And, help is what they need.
One way to help the local animal shelter is to call, or drop by, and simply ask what they need. Make a list. Share that list with friends, family, vets, anyone and everyone you can think of. Type up that list, doesn't have to be fancy, and post it anywhere and everywhere that you can. Be sure that you have permission and it is legal. Obviously, if you have items that they need, donate them. Please don't take any items off the list. The animal shelter can store them for future use. If their space is limited, they will find someone who can use them. You can also offer to store those items and take them to the shelter as they are needed.
Offer to have a garage/yard sale. Donate the money or a portion of that money to the shelter. Better yet, buy the items that were on the list with the money raised and drop them by the shelter. This will save the organization time and money. Time is extremely valuable to the shelter and any help given to save the organization time is most appreciated.
Local veterinarians are a great resource to the local shelter. Talk to your vet or vet tech and find out what they can do. They can set up a donation center for their clients to leave items and donate money. Be sure to make sure the items are picked up in a timely fashion. If the donations begin to stack up, the vet may run out of space. Of course, as the items sit at the donation site, they aren't being used by the shelter.
Volunteer to spend one day a month helping out; an hour or two would be a great also. Expertise is not needed. Volunteers can walk, bathe, simply spend time with the animals. Offer to do laundry for the shelter and repair damaged supplies. Crates and kennels are often easy to repair. Cleaning the organization's transportation vehicle can be a great help. Get creative. If you a have pet, you know all the details of what needs to be done.
Each time you visit your vet, pay a little extra and ask the vet to apply it to the shelter's account. Mention to, ask, (if your bold, like me, tell) other pet owners to do the same. A few dollars here and there really add up for any shelter. If only five people left $10, depending upon fees, that can pay for a round of vaccinations or a spay/neuter for the animals. Many vets offer discounts to shelters, so it is possible for these small amounts to help more than you think.
Dumpster diving should not be beneath any animal lover wanting to help a shelter. People throw out blankets, crates, stuffed animals, etc. that can be used by the shelter. With little or no repair, these items can be used by the shelter. Talk to local grocery stores and pet supply stores about torn bags of pet food. These can't be sold by the stores and the manufacturer/delivery company won't take them back. Make sure the food is clean and fresh. Please do not take any food to the shelter that you wouldn't feed your own pet.
Creativity is a must when helping the local animal shelter. My daughter and I took a hat (yes, literally a hat) around our neighborhood, asking for donations. We had pictures of the pets and its employees. "Passing the hat" raised over $100 in cash, plus several pounds and cans of food and ten used crates. More importantly, it got the word out about the shelter. It took us about two hours. It was great exercise for us. It also helped my three year old with speaking to people. I was so proud - she told them her name and said, "Please help the animals." The "cute factor" of having a three year old with me was a definite plus.
If you have any special talents, such as writing, drawing, grooming, etc., offer those talents to the shelter. It is amazing how much this can help. Use your computer's printer to make copies of flyers and such for the shelter. Paper is precious. "The pen is mightier than the sword," but it does little good without the paper.
Transportation is both time and cost consuming. Offer to take an animal or two to the vet when you take your pet. This is also a great way to get the word out. Arrive a little early and start up a casual conversation with someone else is waiting. "Don't worry, all these animals aren't mine. I'm helping out..." is a good start.
Please support the businesses that help out the shelter. Continue or start shopping at the grocery store that donated the bag of torn food. Express your gratitude for their help to the manager as you wheel out you shopping cart with groceries. Believe it or not, this will be remembered when someone asks them for help the next time.
The best help you can give a local animal shelter is simply asking what they need and figuring out to meet that need. Leave your name and number. "Call if I can do anything," is most appreciated by the shelter. When they do call, do the best you can. If you can't help, try to find someone who can. Just knowing that you are there is a great comfort to the shelter. They are fighting an uphill battle that never ends.