There are far too many dogs here in the U.S. that are, for several reasons, left without a home and end up being displaced at a shelter. If you're like me, you may be wondering how you can help these homeless dogs. Aren't sure what to do? Here's a suggestion: consider adopting one. Afterall, giving these dogs a good home is THE most important thing that you can do.
HOWEVER, if adopting a dog is just not an option right now, here are seven things you can do to better the lives of shelter dogs.
1. Sponsor a fund-raiser and donate the cash to your local rescue organization. You can also ask for donations of items that you can bring to the shelter such as collars, leashes, dog toys, kennels, and of course, food and treats.
2. Donate some of your time to a local shelter. Simply hanging out and playing with these canine residents can make a huge difference to their lives. As you can imagine, shelter staff are very busy with their work and they do not have the extra time to interact with the dogs as they'd like to. Shelter employees can always use the help of others to come and play and socialize with their residents. As a volunteer, think about taking the dogs for a walk or, maybe give them a little pampering by brushing their coats. Just remember, shelter dogs get very little attention, and a short visit with them does a lot to improve their well-being.
3. You can volunteer to take shelter dogs to an obedience class to better their chances for adoption.
4. Give one day of the week to help wash and groom the dogs and then bring them to adoption fairs.
5. Spread the word about the importance of spaying and neutering to prevent shelter overcrowding.
6. Consider becoming a "foster pet parent" and keep the rescued dog at your house until Fido or Fifi finds a permanent home.
7. Become a "support-your-local-dog-shelter" advocate. Inform people about dog adoption and volunteer opportunities at a shelter by placing an ad in your local paper; posting in online community forums (like Craigslist); tacking up flyers on public bulletin boards (post office, supermarkets, colleges, and of course at dog parks).
Hopefully, these seven suggestions will spur you to get out and do something . . . even a small gesture will make all the difference in the lives of shelter dogs.
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Contributor's Note
Thinking about getting a dog? Before you commit, check out the links below.
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