Do you love pets as much as we do? Whether you have one, are thinking of getting one, or not quite ready yet, there are plenty of ways to support the pet world. Keep reading, we give you the blueprint no matter your circumstance.
National Pet Day started in 2006 as a way to celebrate all your furry bestie brings to your life and bring awareness to the pet world as a whole – how many are waiting in shelters and rescuers for their forever home. If you want more information on the origin and motivation behind this day visit THIS page.
1) ADOPT A PET
The best way to celebrate Pet Day and support your local shelter or rescue center is definitely to adopt! If you have the means and capacity, there are many many MANY adorable and loving pets waiting to meet you at shelters. Shelters can be over capacity much of the time and their ultimate goal is to place each animal in a loving home they’ll thrive in.
2) DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL SHELTER
Every facility has bills to pay and little fur babies to provide for while they wait to be adopted. If you are able to donate in any way, it is always welcome and greatly appreciated by every human and animal alike. Here are a few examples of things you can donate that shelters always need more of:
- FOOD – Any pet facility is going to always need pet food and treats. It’s not always cheap and they’ll never have enough with the constant influx of animals. Anything helps!
- SUPPLIES – They often have limited resources and supplies are going to be, again, appreciated in any capacity. Beds, towels, newspapers, blankets, storage bins, toys, cleaning supplies, litter boxes, and pet bowls, to name a few. Feel free to get in contact with the one closest to you and ask what they might need the most at the moment.
- TIME – Many people don’t have the lifestyle to take care of a pet at home. There is no judgment, and a meaningful alternative for animal lovers might be volunteering some time working at the center. That way you can love on all of them while you’re there.
- MONEY – Another way to help, especially if you might not have the time or room for helping in other ways, could be offering a financial donation so they can continue to operate. Shelters typically operate on a volunteer basis and can always use more funding.
3) REPOST ON SOCIAL MEDIA
This might be so obvious it actually gets overlooked. Sharing a recent post from your shelter or rescue center takes only a few seconds and could change an animal’s life. You never know who, in your network, is looking for a pet or a way to help. Your repost might be the thing they needed to see. It also builds awareness of the shelter, what they do, and the adoptions/events they might be working on. You just never know and online support can grow in the blink of an eye.
4) CELEBRATE YOUR BABY
Not that you need a reason, but make a point to spoil your pet today! Whether that’s grabbing them some delicious treats or taking them to the park, just shower them in love. They have benefited your life every single day and deserve all the pets. Life gets busy, and things pop up, but today you can be intentional about them. It’s another day to celebrate their “Gotcha Day” and the bond you share. Take them for an extra long walk or go on a drive so they can hang their head out the window and smell the world as it goes by. Grab them a new toy on the way home from work or just simply love on them longer than you normally do. You know what they would appreciate the most.
5) FOSTER A PET
Fostering is such a helpful option! Shelters and rescue centers usually need more room. They also probably have some animals that need more special care than others. If you are able to foster these pets for a time period or until they get adopted, you are doing the facility an amazing favor. Fostering a pet can be a lifesaver for the animal. Some simply cannot adapt to shelter life and need a different setting. Fostering them can quite literally save them from being euthanized when a shelter is continuously dealing with behavioral problems and doesn’t have enough space to keep trying. Save a life, foster a pet.
6) SPONSOR A PET
If fostering isn’t an option for you, there is still sponsoring a pet! You can choose a pet to help directly at a specific shelter. That way you can still share a connection with a special buddy even if you can’t take them home. You can choose how long you want to support this animal and it helps with their food, bedding, medication, etc. Talk to your local shelter or rescue center to see what your options are.
7) CHAT ABOUT YOUR LOCAL SHELTER
Word of mouth is the oldest form of support and it is still relevant. Talking to others about the options they have to help can make all the difference. Someone just might not be aware that there are many ways to lend a hand. Don’t be shy to chat with others and spread the word on ways to help or needs a shelter has.
8) SUPPORT SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS
First and foremost, spay and neuter your own pets. This helps combat overpopulation in shelters. It’s the responsible choice in most cases so it doesn’t lead to unwanted litters that get left behind. It’s a growing problem in many areas and we want to make sure every pet is in a good home with loving humans, not out fending for themselves in less than desirable situations. You can also support spay and neuter programs to ensure other pets get the same opportunity. Almost one million pets are euthanized a year. We want to bring this number down and positively impact the animal and shelter communities.
9) ORGANIZE AN ADOPTION EVENT
Adoption events are a great way to get involved in a creative way and help your local community. They are popular during the holidays and the best way to get started is by talking with your neighborhood shelter or rescue center. See what they might need help with or what they have done in the past.
10) START A FUNDRAISER
This might be a surprising one, but simply attending a fundraiser event thrown by a shelter or rescue center and participating in what the day has to offer will be huge for the cause. It’s why they have these events. Look up when the next one is in your community and bring your friends and family. Have a great night knowing you’re helping the cause!
These are not the only ways to celebrate pets and National Pet Day but they are a fantastic start for people in all different stages of life. We’ve included a couple resources to help you participate.
Happy Pet Day from all of us here at Pets Global!
https://www.aspca.org/adopt-pet/adoptable-dogs-your-local-shelter
