by Stacie Moyle

Created on: April 15, 2010

Millions of animals worldwide are in need of rescue. Animals suffer from starvation, lack of shelter, neglect and abuse. However, it is easy for anyone to make a difference in the lives of animals both in their own communities and outside of them.  There are numerous ways people can help rescue animals with small investments of either time and/or money.

Direct Rescue

If you have both the time and space for another animal in your home, there is the option of directly adopting an animal that has been rescued by an appropriate agency. Be very careful to assess the type of animal you have the experience and resources to keep. It may be well intending to think of finally living the dream of horse ownership by rescuing a foal from a PMU farm, but if you have no horse experience its most likely that eventually the animal will need to be rescued from you. But if you are both capable and able, then by all means use your skills to give a good home to an animal in need.

Foster Animals

Perhaps you are not looking for a life long commitment to an animal, but for a short term period of time can still house one. Fostering animals may be a perfect role for you.  Over a course of a few months, recently acquired rescue animals will need time to be rehabilitated, acclimated, and made healthy enough to be adopted out to life long homes. Foster homes are a necessary step to help rescue animals.

Volunteer

Animal shelters and rescue organizations are often under staffed. It takes a lot of effort to properly care for an animal let alone the dozens that an organization may be faced with especially after large-scale seizures of neglected or starving animals.  Even working at a front desk, helping with clerical duties or simply passing out flyers about upcoming events for the group can be as helpful as actually walking dogs, or cleaning pens.

Donate

Local shelters need money and supplies. Non-profit charitable organizations often have a list of items they need from halters for horses, tanks for reptiles, bedding, feed, collars and leashes, and grooming products.  Unfortunately, there are scammers out there who pose as animal rescue operations. Be sure to see that they have a appropriate status as a non-profit charitable organization before giving money to an organization.

Stand Up for Animals

When you see an animal and wonder about its health or care, ask questions. Inquire with the owners to find out if the animal is being taken care of or perhaps has a condition or extreme age that contribute to its lack of vitality. Speak out against abusive treatment of animals. Work politely to educate neighbors who are neglecting to properly care for or feed their pets. If needed, call animal control or other authorities that can begin to make a case for removal if that eventually becomes necessary.  Sadly, sometimes authorities cannot act until it is too late, but the list of calls and reports from those who have voiced opinions makes a stronger case later. At the very least it can help to get the media involved, which serves to raise awareness through a community of cases where people need to help rescue animals. 

It doesn’t matter how an individual is able to help animals in need of rescue. What matters is that enough people help rescue animals in whatever ways they can manage. Further, by living in a way that promotes respect and kindness towards animals, everyone can reduce the need for animals to be rescued in the first place.

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