Terrific Ways to Help Homeless Animals

Homelessness is an issue that is not only faced by humans but animals too. Did you know that only 1 out of every 10 dogs born is able to find a permanent shelter? Every year, approximately 2.7 million cats and dogs are euthanized because shelters are full already, and there isn’t enough space to accommodate newer animals. These statistics provide only a slight glimpse of the severity of homelessness among animals. It is important to realize that animals need love and support to keep going – just like humans do.

Without having a roof over their head, animals suffer a tragic fate. They are left to fend for themselves on the streets. These poor animals suffer from contagious disease, get hit by cars, get attacked by other animals, or starve to death. To protect animals from meeting this heart-wrenching end, it is necessary to help them in whatever ways we can. In this blog post, we’ve gathered some amazing ways to reduce the suffering of these helpless creatures.

  1. Donate to Your Local Animal Shelter

    Animal shelters are usually non-profit organizations, which means that they depend on donations from the public to perform important work.

    Without enough money, animal shelters may face challenges like a lack of employees, animal food, and grooming tools. It is also difficult to keep up their maintenance. All of this increases the chances of animal shelters shutting down, completely depriving animals of their homes. Therefore, it is advised to donate money to animal shelters in your area.

  2. Stop by a Grocery Store

    Whenever you go grocery shopping, make sure to visit the section where all pet necessities (including pet food) are available. At times, grocery stores have ripped bags of pet food. Instead of walking past them, get these items and donate them to an animal shelter nearby. These ripped bags of food can feed hundreds of rescued animals that may be starving otherwise.

    You can also get these ripped bags delivered to a local shelter.

  3. Train and Groom Animal Shelters

    When people visit an animal shelter, the first thing they notice about the animals is their physical appearance and temperament. Unfortunately, due to overpopulation, shelter workers don’t get enough time to bathe and train every animal. And hence, a loving dog may not be adopted because it looks dirty or may act roguish.

    Volunteer your time and skills to train and groom rescued animals so that they find a permanent home at the earliest.

  4. Buy or Make Gifts and Deliver Them

    Shower homeless animals with gifts that will make them endlessly happy. You can create DIY toys for cats and dogs from pieces of an old yarn or fabric. You can also find these items at a low price from an online store or a local pet store. You can also make treats for these animals at home and get them delivered to an animal shelter.

    Each and every animal will be grateful to you for your gift and will show it. Apart from that, workers at the shelter will be thankful for your kindness and generosity, too.

  5. Be a Part of Spay/Neuter Programs

    Stray animals are at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses. What’s more worrisome is that these diseases can be contagious. To manage and protect the pet population, it is crucial for animals to get spayed and neutered.

    You can play your part by becoming a volunteer for a spay/neuter program. Find out about these programs in your locality and save the lives of animals on the street.

  6. Foster Animals

    Animal shelters run out of space for new animals really quickly. In such a scenario, you can help out by fostering animals. Provide shelter to these animals in your home until they find a permanent home elsewhere.

    Look after their needs, feed them with good food, train them properly, take them for a walk, give them toys to play, and socialize them with other pets in your house. This will help make a homeless dog or cat a potential pet for a new owner.

  7. Adopt a Pet

    The best step you can take is to adopt a pet from an animal shelter. Most pet owners prefer getting a pet from a pet store. However, it is better to consider adopting one as doing so will keep animals safe from euthanasia. Pet adoption will also help make room for new additions.

  8. Encourage Your Loved Ones to Adopt a Pet

    It is your duty to motivate your family members, relatives, and friends to adopt an animal instead of getting one from a pet market. The more people who adopt a pet, the better it is for the animals in the shelter.

    Whenever you learn about the schedule of upcoming adopting events sponsored by local shelters, ask your family and friends to attend. If you know of someone who is looking for a pet, tell them about these events as well.

  9. Spread the Word on Social Media

    Local shelters usually have their own websites and social media pages. You can share their links on various social media platforms and encourage others to visit these shelters if they are looking to adopt a new pet! Some people also have reservations about animal shelters since a lot of myths surround animal rescues. Debunk these myths and spread the positive word about animal shelters on social media.

    On every International Homeless Animals Day, the plight of stray animals is raised, which goes to show that homelessness is a worldwide pet issue that needs to be tackled as soon as possible. With the help of the above-mentioned ways, you can help homeless animals find their space in this community!


     

    by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

    Facts About Animal Homelessness:

    1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
    2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
    3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
    4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
    5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
    6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
    7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
    8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
    9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
    10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
    11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.

    Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions