Volunteer to Provide Animal Foster Care

If you love animals and don't mind making a short-term commitment, consider becoming an animal foster care provider. Animal foster care requires caring for a dog, cat, or other animal as if he or she were your own pet, so think carefully before taking on a foster animal.

Although foster care covers a broad range of volunteer opportunities, your local animal shelter is the best place to start. Becoming a foster care provider usually means saving a good-natured dog,cat, or other animal from being euthanized due to lack of space at the animal shelter.

Animal Foster Care Benefits

Foster parents help socialize animals before permanent adoption. Some animals may not have experienced life as part of a family, or their experiences may not have been positive. Placement in a loving temporary home can prepare an animal for his or her future family life.

Foster pet care can be fulfilling for you as well. Rescuing a lucky animal from being put to sleep is not only rewarding; it can be a great way for first-time pet owners to find out what they're looking for in a pet.

Animal Foster Care Considerations

Qualifications vary from shelter to shelter. Some may not allow foster care in households with existing pets. Basic provisions like food and bedding are provided by some animal shelters. The amount of time you'll care for your foster pet depends on how long it takes for the animal to be adopted, but most shelters will work with your needs. Extensive screening will likely be needed to ensure that shelter animals are placed with caring, well-prepared families.

Volunteer Dog Walker: Making a Difference at the Animal Shelter

You walk your dog for his or her health and happiness. Dogs love getting out in the fresh air as much as we do, and sniffing satisfies their curiosity. So why not give the pups at the pound the opportunity to cut loose once in a while?

Even if your local shelter only has a small fenced-in area, the resident dogs will love a chance to get out of their pens, if only for five or ten minutes. Think about how stir-crazy you would get if you had to sit in a cage all day.

Volunteering as a dog walker at your local animal shelter is good for you, too. In addition to the actual walking, you'll get quite a workout from trying to restrain big, eager dogs as you take them from their pens. Visitors are likely to be around, and it can take some serious strength to keep some dogs under control as you leash them and let them out.

Not only will you get some exercise, but seeing a dog's tail wag as she soaks up the sun will make your day too. Many animal shelters are especially short on help as city and county governments look for places to slash spending. You may be just what some lonely dog needs to brighten his day.

What to Donate to Animal Shelters

Most animal shelters are in need of supplies for their resident animals. If your pets are picky eaters, you've probably ended up with unfinished boxes of treats or food. Contact the shelter beforehand to find out if they have any donation restrictions or special requests.

Food and snacks aren't the only items shelters need. Blankets are usually welcome, and old towels can be used for bedding or baths. Toys are a nice diversion for animals kept in pens all day. If possible, choose hard rubber toys durable enough to stand up to abuse by large dogs with pent-up energy. Shelters may also need shampoo and other grooming supplies.

You might also consider contributing your time and energy. Animals need exercise and attention, and may not be getting enough from overworked staffers. Or if you have experience as a vet tech or groomer, your services are sure to be appreciated. Those with PR or web design skills could work with shelters to get the word out about animals looking for homes. Shelters might also need help with backed-up paperwork and filing.

Of course, money always makes a great gift. Your cash donations will allow staff to buy the shelter's most-needed items. Don't worry if you can't spare much in the way of food, supplies, money, or time. When so many pets are being dropped off at the local shelter because their owners are unable or unwilling to feed and care for them, even the smallest donation will help.

Cash-Strapped Animal Shelters Need Your Help

As cities and counties struggle financially just like the rest of us, animal shelters may be the first to suffer from budget cuts. With fewer employees and less money to go around, shelters may find it difficult to come up with enough food and other necessary supplies for the animals in their care.

This can mean dogs have fewer opportunities for exercise and bathroom trips outside because employees are busy doing the work of a laid-off co-worker. Or no one has time to give some TLC to the kittens someone just dropped off. Shelters may even have a hard time stretching their budgets to adequately feed all the animals.

So, even if you prefer to only support no-kill shelters, consider that the animals in all shelters need food and care. No matter what type of shelter you decide to support, with donations of money, food, or other supplies, check first to see what items they need most. Some no-kill shelters normally receive a good deal of support, but are no doubt currently seeing reductions in donations. This type of shelter sometimes accepts only certain brands of high-quality food for optimal nutrition; this is great for the animals, but be prepared to spend a little more money.