Tomorrow is Change a Pet’s Life Day! What better way to celebrate than to take a “paws” and consider ways that you could change a pet’s life!
With so many pets in shelters/rescues in need of a forever home, there are many ways you can help to change a pet’s life – even if adoption is not in the cards for you and your family. Here are 6 ways you can be the shining star in a pet’s life:
1) Adopt a pet. The ultimate way to change a pet’s life is to adopt one. Keep in mind that adoption shouldn’t be a spontaneous decision. If you have the resources, space, and time to care for a pet, consider adoption. Make sure everyone in your family is on board before rescuing a cat or rat!
2) Foster a pet. If adoption is something that you’re just not sure about, consider fostering a pet. It’s a great way to make a big impact on a pet’s life and gives you a trial run at having a pet in your home. Fostering enables more dogs to be cared for and provides a loving safe home for the pet until it can be adopted. Check with your local shelter or rescue organization to find out how you can be involved.
3) Volunteer at a shelter. Shelters often need volunteers to help clean cages, feed and water pets, walk dogs, and be a “pet companion” – someone to snuggle and play with cats, dogs, rabbits and pocket pets. Even if you can’t volunteer your time to be assist with the general care of shelter pets, volunteers are often needed to run events, take photographs, and help with general upkeep. Check with your shelter to find out what sort of help they need.
4) Volunteer at a rescue organization. Every organization has different needs. Fundraising events, managing social media, writing pet biographies, helping with the adoption process, and animal husbandry (feeding, watering, walking, and scooping litter) are all tasks that rescue organizations need assistance with.
5) Donate. Since most shelters and rescues are non-profit organizations, they rely on donations from community members and animal lovers like you. By donating to a shelter or rescue, you help to ensure that pets get the food, medical care, and everything else they need to stay healthy.
6) Be social. Spread the word on social media by sharing stories about dogs in need. Most rescues and shelters have Facebook or Instagram pages where pets in need are profiled. Sharing these stories will help the pet find its forever home.
Make 2020 a year to remember! Changing the life of pet will change yours too!