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Animal shelters play an important role in our community. They provide a haven for lost, abandoned and mistreated animals, while simultaneously providing a place for rehabilitation and the chance of a new life with a loving family. If you care about animals you can help your local animal shelter in many ways.

Donations
In order to properly care for their animals, shelters need donations of cold, hard cash. Providing food, shelter, medical care, searching for and locating original owners or appropriate new homes are all costly activities. If you are time poor making a donation is an effective way to make a difference to the life of an unwanted, stray or abandoned animal. A small bequest in your will, means you will be helping even after you have moved on.

Donations of pet food and blankets or towels are always appreciated. A warm cosy bed is a welcome attraction to a lost and lonely animal. Dry and tinned food is always needed. These are core needs and donating them will allow the shelter to spend less and use the money saved to provide medical attention, pay staff, extend or upgrade facilities and provide for all other essential services.

Raising awareness
The more people who are aware of the shelter and the work it does the more help it will receive in the form of donations, volunteers and prospective new homes.

There are two simple ways to raise awareness which don't take a lot of time.

1. Link the shelter's website to your blog and website if you have one. Encourage your friends to do the same. Every link will help spread the message and bring new visitors to their site.

2. Run a blanket and pet food drive at your work, school or club. As well as raising awareness the additional donations will be put to good use.

Volunteering
Your local shelter needs volunteers who are reliable, committed and have a genuine concern for animal welfare. If you are time rich volunteering is an excellent way to help your local shelter.

As well as caring for the animals shelters need volunteers to help with a variety of tasks, including administration, maintenance and gardening. While these may not seem glamorous every activity benefits the animals and contributes to their well being.

If you are an accountant, lawyer or builder or have other specialist skills, volunteering your time and donating your services can be a wonderful and valuable way to help out.

If your lifestyle does not allow you to commit to regular volunteer activities, consider helping out at special events. Fundraising events require additional people to help set up and pack up, organize people, provide refreshments, collect funds or sell raffle tickets. Extra hands at these events are always welcome and contribute to a successful outcome.

Adoption
Perhaps the most beneficial thing you can do is provide a home for one of the shelter's residents. If you have the time, money, patience and are ready to make a lifelong commitment to owning a pet visit your local shelter to adopt your next family member.

Whatever your lifestyle or financial situation there are ways you can contribute to support your local animal shelter. Any help, large or small will always be appreciated and gratefully received by both the shelter staff and its vulnerable inhabitants.

Learn more about this author, Marie Hurley.
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