There are tons of ways to donate to your local animal shelter! And when we say local, we aren’t referring to the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the US, we are referring to a small local non-profit rescue group in the town or city you live in.
Monetary Donation
If you are donating money, the smaller local rescues or shelters are typically run by all (or mostly) volunteers. Meaning there is no administrative overhead and your donations are going directly to shelter, feed, & provide needed medical attention to the animals. While the larger organizations obviously play an important role in the overall success of saving animals, the local rescues and shelters can really use the monetary help to keep doing their very important part in the business of saving lives!
You can donate one time, ongoing, or through a big event! For example, instead of giving guests a small wedding favor, you can always donate to a local shelter on their behalf. It is such a fun way to include your passion on your big day! We donated to a local, non-profit shelter in lieu of favors for our wedding back in 2011 and it was a hit ❤
Your Time & Skills
If you are looking for another way to donate, other than money, your time is also a very useful resource for local shelters. They are always in need of volunteers to help feed and care for the animals. Not to mention help with marketing, adoptions, and events!
Are you a good photographer? Great pics of adoptable animals are sure to get them noticed on social media. And getting noticed = getting adopted!
Have an extra room in your house, consider fostering. Fostering is a sure way to save a life + free up space in the shelter so another animal can be saved. The rescue gives you everything you need to care for the animal, all you need to do is give them some love and attention.
Supplies, Supplies, Supplies!
Shelters can also always use cleaning supplies, animal food & supplies, towels, blankets & even office supplies. If you have any of these things lying around your home and collecting dust, you should contact your local shelter to see what they need.
Some shelters even have online wish-lists, you can check their websites or Facebook pages for more info on that.
The moral of the story here is that there are a LOT of ways to help out the animals at your local shelter. And our advice is to help out the small rescues, the ones that run on volunteer time & donations and the care for the animals comes above any personal income. Your money, time, and any donations given are sure to make a big impact there.