Service Project Week 2 - How can I help an Animal Shelter?

[Mendorah]

It's week two of our little service project and I'm going to start off the discussion with the kind of shelter I know the Most about - Animal Shelters.

 

By the by, there will be a different thread for each kind of shelter we can think of.  If anybody wants to lead a discussion on a particular shelter they have experience with, let me know and I'll start the thread for you.

 

So, Animal Shelters.  Just about every town has an animal shelter or rescue or person who helps wayward animals.  Some shelters are funded by the local government and some are not.  In my city, most are not.  However, I hear that in some countries, all shelters are fully funded, WOW!  As someone who has spent the last 5 years doing a Lot of different things within an animal shelter, I can tell you that even if a shelter is fully funded, there still may be things you can do to help if you have the time.

 

The most important items of need for animal shelters which aren't fully funded are:

 

*  Money for vet/food/operational bills!!!!  Seriously, I can't stress this enough.  Even $1 in a tip jar every time you see one for a rescue group will make So Much difference!  They need every penny that they can get.  Many rescues and shelters are unable to take in animals with certain health issues because they know that there will be an issue affording proper vet care.  And thus an animal who could possibly live a long happy life if funds were secured for the vet care, is given up on and put down or turned away.  It is not very common for rescues in my area to operate "in the black" meaning a positive cash flow, so anything you can give towards bill is a Precious thing.

 

*  Food, bed, supplies donations.  Just like shelters need money to operate, they also appreciate you just going out and purchasing a supply item and donating that in whole as well.  Or if you or someone you know has extra pet carriers or pet crates from outgrowing it or passing away, please consider calling a shelter up to ask if they are in need of the item.  Nearly every single time they will take the item off your hands and be thankful.

 

*  Time donations.  Some shelters need this more than others.  There are some shelters who are lucky enough to generate enough fundraising or grant money to hire staff to do all of the daily work around the shelters.  Some do not have the luxury of Any employees.  Those shelters who have staff will often still be gratefull for a smiling face helping out at an adopt a pet event or even coming in to pet the animals and give them some "love time."  Those shelters who run completely on volunteeer time will be grateful to have you on board for an array of tasks.  Every type of job from cleaning cages to writing grants to clipping toenails to giving baths to arranging fundraisers are needing to be addressed.

 

*  Home donations.  While it is every single shelter's goal to place animals in a Forever home, they also need homes for animals to go to in the interim.  Foster homes are great for keeping animals away from any respiratory infections which are often so common when animals are housed in cages so close together.  They are also great for animals in that they can have more human interaction and learn manners.  Foster homes are always Greatly appreciated.  Especially when kitten season comes!  Kittens need space to play and grow, being raised in a cage is not optimal for their health or growth.

 

The above items only scratch the surface of the inner workings and needs of animal shelters.  Each place has their own needs.  The best way to find out what a local shelter needs is to just call or stop by and ask them yourself.  However, if anyone has anything they would like to add or any questions they would like to ask, please feel free.  And while you're at it, get out there and help those furry kids!

[Siera]

I use to help out my local animal shelter with my mom. We would go in, and take a dog for a walk, or play with the kittens. I remember once, playing outside with a dog who had come from a puppy mill. I felt so sorry for him, he was anti-social. But I hope he got a great home. Since then it's been hard, as they set in new rules and a huge form to fill out. And I don't have as much time to get there.

 

I have also helped out with my local Vet clinic. :D I washed cages and I believe organized food. It was an interesting experience and I hope to go back to it.

 

 

[Lady of the Shadows]

Well, I'm going to use the Oshawa humane society as my example.  It was the one that was burned down a couple months ago.  They lost the building, and all of the animals. 

 

The only thing I've managed to do it vote for them for the 'america's favourite shelter' contest.  But, with help through facebook, we got enough people to vote that I'm pretty sure they are in the running for at least $500.00.  This may seem like a small amount, considering the first prize was $10,000, but like it was said earlier, ANY amount helps! 

 

The first they need now is funding to help them build a new building.  Then they will need pretty much all the supplies you can think of, from food, veterinary products, cages (for some animals), and reception related products. 

 

I don't think getting animals to fill it will be hard, as abandoned pets are a huge problem in Ontario, but getting the word out that there will be a new home available for unwanted pets is important.

 

Volunteer work will likely be needed to get the building back up, and finding new animals to fill the shelter.  I also know most shelters appreciate volunteers any time of the year.   

 

I'm sure I've missed some highly needed things here, but after listening to the cranky, teething baby for 2 hours, I can't think straight:P 

 

Anyway, that is my 2 cents for the moment!

[Dwynwen]

Are there any qualifications needed or applications that one would need to fill out in order to foster a pet?

[Alaksuleiel]

Currently the Australian RSPCA is looking for donations tohelp with animals that have displaced and/or injured by the Bushfires: http://www.rspca.org.au/

I'll be doing my part!

[Siera]

Dwynwen Sedai, I know at my local animal shelter there is a bunch of paper work.

[Mendorah]

Dwyn, it depends on the shelter.  Some shelters have a lot of paperwork for fostering and some only have a little.  The shelter I work with only has a one page application and an interview.  We rely mostly on the interview.  Mostly for our shelter, the interview is designed for the shelter director to get a feel of what kind of person the foster is and if we trust them to take one of our animals and not steal it or try to sell it on Craigslist.

 

For qualifications, a good nurturing instinct is the best qualification.  Even moreso a willingness to take on any less than healthy animals.  Anytime a person has any experience with the medical field or animal training is always a plus, but sometimes the best medicine for a sheltered animal is simply a person with a big heart who just Cares.  Just like humans, for animals to thrive, they need to feel safe.  I've seen cats try to starve themselves because they didn't feel safe and then come around and be happy and healthy and absolute loving joys.  I've also seen erratic, crazy cats turn into cuddle monsters once they finally hit a point where they felt safe and cared for.  And all that was done to achieve these results is offer food and love.

[Taya]

Here in Perth we have the Cat Haven, or actually it's a WA-wide institution but it's located in the capital city. Anyway, I started fostering back in November, I got a lovely cat and her absolutely sickeningly cute babies (5 of them!). It's months later now and I am now proud owner of the mummy cat. The babies have all been rehomed.

 

The mum's name is Beyonce, by the way :D

 

Actually I think her full name is this:

 

Beyonce Picasso Knowles Foster Farnan

 

(my surname being Farnan)

 

Anyway...the Haven paid for everything, from food to kitty litter to toys for the kitties to play with. I did have to drive up there every weekend to weigh the kitties in, but other than that I was at home cleaning out kitty litter ;) Oh, and baby cat poo from other places too. muahaha.

 

All in all I would highly recommend this experience - for any animals, not just cats. It was so cute, and at least you know that by fostering you are giving them a chance! without fostering, they don't have a chance at all.

[Mendorah]

Thank you Taya for sharing that.  I am glad to learn that there are other shelters out there who pay for expenses.  Our shelter will do that as we have funds.  I generally pay for everything, but then I take it out of my taxes at the end of the year, so I get it back eventually.

 

And that's another point, donations to ANY 501 C 3 organization in the US are tax deductable.  If you donate money, that's easy, get a receipt.  If you pay for supplies, keep the receipt and label those supplies as donations.  If you give used supplies from your home, you can estimate the value of what you gave and use that.  Goodwill will give out receipts, out shelter does not have receipts for item donations, so people make up their own itemized sheet and then our shelter director signs that she received the items. 

[Taya]

I did actually end up paying for a lot of the stuff, or at least a bit of it- like I bought the kitties chicken and boiled it for them (well mostly for the mum, but the kitties got stuck in too hehe), and I bought lots of litter towards the end because the Haven forgot about me for a while *g* They have been absolutely FLAT OUT with it being kitten season and all that, and they've been doing 100s of neuterings.

[Samuraiflip05]

My MiL owns a dog grooming shop, and two of her employees work with rescues....One specializes in Golden Retrievers and the other works with Pit Bulls.  My SiL has two Pit Bulls that came from the rescue.  They are both well behaved and listen to a stern voice(without physical punishment).  I am comfortable with them around my 3 and 5 year olds as long as I am nearby, because the only aggression ever shown is the older one towards other dogs.  Both of my dogs(Black Lab/Australian Sheperd) came from a local shelter through a Petsmart Adoption-day event....Matter of fact...I got them 4 years ago on the 12th.  ;D

[Amavia]

*is so jealous*

 

I've wanted an Australian Shepherd for so long >-<

But we already have a dog and no room for a second one :(

 

I have worked at our local shelter during summer holidays (when I was still in school) for years, but after I got into a argument with the owner I left..

I really loved doing that work, and during the summer peak (when a lot of animals are abandoned) I also took in various animals temporarily (mostly small animals like rats/mice etc)

 

Maybe I should go back and see if things have calmed down with the owner some time soon, perhaps I could help out again!

[Samuraiflip05]

*Blink, blink*  Mavi?

 

Hey what's up.  ;D

 

Yeah my Aussie isn't full blooded.  I don't really know what he is mixed with but he is...well here I'll just show you. 

 

 

[Siera]

I would love to help out an animal by getting one from an Animal shelter!

I may try and talk my parents into it for the nest time we get a dog. :)

[Mendorah]

Yay for Petsmart!!!!  Speak of the devil, I'm about to head out to a Petsmart Adopt a Pet in just a few minutes.  Nimue and Roz, my foster kitties, need to be shown.  *crosses fingers for forever homes*