When I was 11, my mom registered us to volunteer at the local Animal Shelter. I loved it, meanwhile my mom left crying every weekend. I tried telling her that we were helping the animals and should feel happy that we were making a difference; my mom’s big heart just felt devastated that she couldn’t give them all homes.
I hated that it upset my mom, but loved the experience. Unfortunately, shelters have since raised their age requirements to volunteer, so it’s an experience my kiddos can’t have anytime soon. And now that I’m an adult, I find it difficult to go in to shelters without leaving there in tears myself.
But we are a family of animal lovers, and we wanted to help pets that were down on their luck- so we got creative!
If you have little animal lovers at home, (or you just have a soft heart, too) take a look at these awesome ways to help shelter animals. These ideas involve the whole family and don’t require actually volunteering at a shelter…so you can save your tears for Grey’s Anatomy.
Spread the word!
Shelters are always seeking ways to get the word out about their organization, adoptable pets and special events.
You and your family can help by hanging fliers for events or sharing adoption profiles on social media. If you’re good (and comfortable) with the marketing/advertising/social media field, it’s a huge help to the rescue organization and your efforts directly contribute to getting more animals adopted!
Use your car to help!
Did you know that you could help shelter animals just by transporting them from place to place?
Shelters often have adoption events and need help moving animals from the shelter to the event location. It’s a small time commitment, but packs a big philanthropic punch!
If you are looking to help in a larger way, some rescue organizations save animals that are facing imminent death in over-crowded shelters hundreds of miles away. These rescues count on volunteers to transport pets so that they can be given a second chance.
Most transports are divided into “legs.” Volunteers will sign up to drive a certain distance and then pass the pet off to the next person on the list until “Fido” arrives at his destination.
If you like to drive, or have a baby that takes naps when you drive around, consider looking in to helping out this way! :)
Adopt a dog for a day!
A lot of animal shelters are in desperate need of foster homes since most pets get stressed and anxious in a caged environment.
What you may not know, though, is that some rescues will let you take a dog home just for a weekend. They would rather a pooch get the luxuries of family life (if only for 2 days) than be cooped up in a cage for those 48 hours. And you get to thrill your kids for a weekend by having a dog play-buddy!
If your kids have been begging you for a dog, and you’ve been hesitant or don’t want the full-time commitment, try weekend fostering. You’d make a lonely, sad pup quite happy indeed. And who knows? You may find your doggy soul-mate that way! :)
Be a secret admirer!
Come to an animal rescue’s rescue and donate items from their wish list.
A lot of animal shelters post their needs and wants online, either on their website or as an amazon wish list.
See if your local rescue needs anything you have lying around the house, such as: paper towels, markers, printer paper, old bedding or towels, 2×4’s, cleaning solution, laundry detergent, cans of food you bought your fur-baby that she hated, etc.
Then put everything together and bring it to your local shelter. Your kids will be so excited to play Santa Claus to the pets!
Help by using your skills!
If you’re crafty or handy, take a look at your shelter’s wish list and see if they need anything that you can make or repurpose.
You can usually find free tables, chairs and cabinets on craig’s list or via freecycle.
Then put your skills to work and create dog beds, cat houses or filing cabinets to donate. Your kiddos can help out and get that great feeling of pride from helping others.
Be an advocate!
While donating pet food to shelters is very appreciated, rescues are often in need of mundane household items just as desperately.
To help, try stopping by local hotels with your family to see if they have any old bedding or towels they’d be willing to donate. Or call a local office supply store and see if they have any paper products, cleaning supplies or damaged furniture they can’t sell & wouldn’t mind gifting to the shelter.
You’d be surprised by the donations that pour in when you have a cute little kid with ya!
Get crafty!
If you are crafty, you can help shelters by donating bedding for the animals. They go through blankets very quickly and are always happy for crocheted blankets, quilts and other soft bedding to keep the pets comfy.
Or if you want to help but have no skills (ahem..like me,) take a look at this cool no-sew blanket that you could make together as a gift for a chilly pup!
Or if you’d like a dog to feel like a king, you could make this easy, no-sew doggy bed!
And if cats are more up your alley, make a kitty feel more comfortable with this T-shirt kitty cat hideout!
Make FUN toys!
Toys are always welcome at shelters. The little guys need entertainment to keep them happy while they wait for their forever homes.
Bonus: your kids will love making toys to drop off at the animal shelter! Just don’t be surprised if they want to stay at the shelter for 2 hours to play with all of the gifts!
For a variety of cat toys you can make yourselves, take a look at this list!
And for an even bigger list of DIY dog toys, peruse this comprehensive list to find the best DIY option for you!
Raise Funds!
There are so many ways that your family can raise money for animal shelters. You could host a bake sale, or set up a lemonade stand at the end of the driveway. You could hold a dog wash or a collection drive for supplies.
If your children are fiercely philanthropic, they could also use their birthdays as fundraising events! I wouldn’t push this on them, of course. But if you have an animal lover, they may prefer to forgo gifts if it means saving an animal’s life. Ask your guests to donate cash, pet supplies or household items in lieu of more toys and then drop them off at your local shelter.
Don’t forget to snap a pic of your child’s ear-to-ear grin! :)
Make treats!
Shelters are always in need of nutritious pet food, but they also appreciate donations of treats. Rescue groups go through treats very quickly between training sessions and potential adopters handing out handfuls at a time.
If you like to bake, take a look at this list of homemade dog treats that are sure to earn you a new best friend at your local shelter!
Or if felines are your fancy, here is a list of purrrr-fect DIY treats for kitties!
If you don’t know your way around the kitchen, but have a green thumb in the garden, grow some grass to help kitties’ digestion!
Get artsy!
You and your kids can color pretty adoption cards for shelters (or the cages for adoption events) to catch potential adopters’ attention!
Or you can stencil “Adopt me” onto bandanas for homeless doggies to sport! Take a look a this great tutorial that shows an easy screen printing process with freezer paper.
Shelters are also in need of photographers to take flattering pictures of pets, if you happen to have a knack for that! Your kids would love to accompany you as you do a glamorous photo op for a (celebrity) pooch!
You can also spend time together assembling these great DIY cat scratchers– the kitties will thank you!
Have a FUN day!
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