As we get closer to Christmas, there are parties and events, gifts to find, buy and wrap, maybe decorating that still needs to be done – but down the street or across town, in the animal shelter, adoptions are slowing down. And unfortunately animals surrendered to the shelter may be picking up. That might happen when an owner decides to get a new pet for Christmas and “disposes” of the old pet. At Christmas, an animal shelter can be a disheartening place for both humans and animals.
You may be wondering what you can do to help. First, you can be a responsible pet owner. Pets are not disposable items. They are living creatures with personalities and feelings, so being removed from a home environment and placed in a shelter cage can be disheartening and traumatic. If you adopt a pet, be prepared to take care of that animal for its lifetime.
If you want to help your local shelter, you can start with a donation. Ask your shelter if they have a wishlist so you can see what they might need. The shelter may use a cash donation for medical treatments, or cleaning supplies, or food for the animals. Donated funds can help a shelter continue its mission to be a safe, comfortable and clean refuge for homeless pets. Or donate specific items to your local shelter, like blankets, toys, cleaning supplies, even cat litter and pet food. Offer to volunteer at your local shelter. You might help by walking dogs. (It’s always a good idea to get a dog out of its cage for a while.) You might be asked to help with transporting animals to the vet. Or you might have a skill or some expertise that could really benefit the shelter.
Offering to help your local shelter, whether with funds or your time, may not make the problems go away but it might make things better for the animals (and the people who care for them.) And that may just make your own Christmas better, when you’re speaking of pets.
__>^..^<__
