4 Ways You Can Help End Pet Homelessness
According to the ASPCA, 6.5 million pets enter U.S. animal shelters each year. This is a major problem that is unlikely to go away any time soon, but fortunately we can all contribute to help out. There are plenty of ways we can reduce these numbers, from raising awareness, to donating our time and money, and more!
Here are four ways you can help end pet homelessness.
1. Spay/Neuter Your Pets
One of the easiest ways we can help is to make sure our pets are spayed and neutered. This can help reduce the number of unwanted pets that enter the shelter system! It is a low cost, low maintenance way to help do your part to battle pet overpopulation. It also has the benefit of not causing too much discomfort to your animal friend as it is performed under anesthesia. Make sure this is your top priority when thinking of ways to help end pet homelessness!
2. Be an Advocate for Lost Pets
If you find a lost pet or hear about someone trying to deal with one, make an effort to get them home instead of just dropping them off at the nearest shelter. Not only does this take up space that could be used to house pets looking for homes, but it helps fight against the 710,000 pets a year that get returned to their owners after being at a shelter. It’s great that shelters are able to reunite so many pet owners, but you can help ease their burden by contacting owners yourself or making found flyers and posting them in your neighborhood!
3. Volunteer Your Time, Among Other Things
Most shelters are non-profit, meaning they take whatever aid they can get. This could mean a donation of toys and food, or blankets, or perhaps your time as a volunteer. It could also mean more unorthodox things like donating accounting skills, helping with minor repairs, or offering any other skills you might have. Whatever you can offer, make sure you offer it to those who could use it the most!
4. Adopt, Don’t Shop
This is one of the biggest ways to make a difference. If you are looking for a new pet, avoid expensive breeders or the cruelty of puppy mills. Instead, why not let the people at your nearest shelter help you find the right companion for your lifestyle? It is usually cheaper, once the cost of vaccinations and micro chipping are considered, and more importantly you give a home to an animal in need. Maybe you will be lucky enough to take one of the 3.2 million pets adopted from a shelter each year!
What could you do to help end animal homelessness? Let us know in the comments below!