by Annerleigh Harrison

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: March 26, 2009

Pet shelters are usually charities, run by low-paid staff and volunteers, and operated on shoestring budgets. Whilst the shelters help pets in trouble, they are often struggling themselves with meagre finances and personpower. They need our help, as much as the distressed pets need theirs. By helping the shelters, we are also helping the animals, even if we cannot physically rescue any ourselves. Here are some practical ways for people to help pet shelters.

Money

Pet shelters always welcome donations, however small, from almost any legal source. You could:

a) Put your loose change into a piggy bank for 6 months, then send it all to the shelter.

b) Set up a regular monthly payment from your bank to the shelter of your choice. Regular income really helps the shelter manager/treasurer with budgeting.

c) Hold a raffle at your social/sports club or workplace, and donate the proceeds.

d) Sign up for a sponsored marathon/swim/slim/bungee-jump etc, to raise money.

e) Organise your own fundraising event; eg coffee morning, garage sale, whist drive.

f) Sponsor a pet, or a pet kennel/pen/hutch, at the shelter.

Time & expertise

Offer to help with things the shelter staff maybe do not have the time or specialist skills to do themselves:

a) Design and publish promotional and fundraising leaflets

b) Help with distributing these, by post ( envelope sticking!), on foot, in shopping malls, etc.

c) Write a book about the shelter ( or one of its star residents!), publish and market it, proceeds for the shelter.

d) Organise a large, high-spec fundraising event on the shelter's behalf.

e) Volunteer as the shelter's media correspondent and keep it in the public eye.

f) Create, or update, and then maintain, the shelter's website.

g) Give talks to local groups, and schools, on the shelter's work.

h) Offer to help with, or audit, the shelter's end-of-year accounts.

i) Use your marketing savvy to arrange discounts for the shelter from suppliers of feedstuffs, bedding, veterinary treatment, etc

Hands-on-work

There is always lots of work to do at pet shelters , and often not enough people to do it all. Your offer of help with any of these is likely to be welcomed:

a) Dog walking

b) Animal grooming

c) Feed mixing and serving ( and bowl-cleaning afterwards!)

d) Water carrying and changing

e) Kennel/cage/pen/hutch cleaning

f) Washing and mending pet blankets, cushions, etc.

g) Office work record keeping, filing, phone-minding, etc

h) Maintenance and repairs anything with hammers, nails, screwdrivers, paint, etc.

i) Taking pets to veterinary/dental appointments

j) Short-term fostering at home to help the pets re-socialise

These are just some of the practical ways people can help pet shelters. Why not visit your local shelter, and see what you can do ?

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