Pets Not The Only Ones Who Benefit When You Donate To Animal Shelters
Today in America thousands of animals are homeless and completely lack the hope of joining a warm and loving family. As dog and cat overpopulation continues, euthanization of homeless pets occurs. Animal shelters, rescue agencies, and pet adoption organizations are daily putting forth valiant efforts to save the lives of these unfortunate animals and provide loving, caring homes for these hopeless animals.
Though these agencies work tirelessly, they are in dire need of helping hands. These organizations are almost always non-profit; that means they rely on financial donations and willing local volunteers for their subsistence. If you are looking for a way to volunteer or give back to your community, consider volunteer work at your local animal shelter. Here are a few reasons why you should help, and how you can help save the lives of these precious, unfortunate dogs and cats.
Why should you help your local humane society or animal shelter by volunteering? The rewards are endless. First, you will be saving the valuable life of an animal. Stray animals that have been on the streets too long or who have been at local shelters for too long of a time period are euthanized. By donating your time, you are helping the shelter find people who will adopt these pets and provide them with a home. By volunteering at your local shelter, you will also gain a tremendous satisfaction in helping your local community by caring for and saving the lives of unfortunate cats and dogs. You will receive the love and gratitude of the animals you work with and play with; the warm fuzzy feeling of being appreciated and loved by an animal is an irreplaceable one. By volunteering, you may also find out that you possess skills you were completely unaware of. Discovering new affinities and talents may surprise you. Finally, if you are significantly interested in helping animals and possess a love for the unfortunate, there are many careers available in the non-profit animal organization arena as well.
No Kill Animal Shelters Gaining Support
Through the efforts of organizations and committed individuals, support is growing for the establishment of no kill animals shelters. An alternative to the traditional dog pound or animal shelter, no-kill animal shelters advocate adoption over euthanasia.
Every year, thousands of animals find themselves in the custody of local animal pounds. The primary function of these facilities has been to collect unwanted animals, hold them for a prescribed amount to time, and then euthanize the animal. Often, the method of euthanasia is less than humane.
In defense of some local shelters staff members work long and hard to find unwanted animals an adopted home. It is common for local shelters to work with the Human Society or other animal advocacy groups to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals. These efforts include low-cost or free-of-cost spay and neuter clinics. In many cases, local governments support these efforts with additional funding and staffing.
Sadly, even the most gallant efforts are not enough to stop the euthanasia of thousands of animals every year. The truth is that most local shelters lack sufficient funding to hold animals for a prolonged period of time. Shelter cost is minimal but the cost of food, supplies and veterinary care can quickly outstrip meager shelter budgets.
My own local county-run shelter has placed a tremendous effort on educating the public about the plight of unwanted dogs. Much of their effort has been toward finding suitable adopted homes for the dogs in their care, often holding dogs longer than the minimum time allowed by law. In contrast to past practices, the change in focus has born fruit with a sharp increase in the numbers of adoptions. Perspective owners must pay a fee that helps to defray some of the operational cost, including veterinary care.
