There are many ways to help your favorite rescue organization. The most common way people help is by adopting dogs from the rescue organization, but did you know there are other ways?

Not everybody can afford to write a check for $Big Bucks$ or has the room to take another dog into their home. If you are one of those people, please know that your support is appreciated tremendously! If you can’t, there are many other ways you can help.

Obvious Ways to Help:

Donations

If you have funds to share, monetary donations are a great way to help. The dollar amount is not important. Trust me when I say, the $4.80 donation we received was every bit as appreciated as the $2000 one.  Cash is useful to your favorite rescue organization, as they have feed & vet bills, utility costs, transportation fees, and all the associated costs with keeping dogs.  If you can donate, please do.

Adoptions

If you are able to adopt a dog, please do, you’ll be rewarded daily for the rest of his life! The loyalty and love given by rescue dogs exceeds that of any other breed. (Yes, I’m referring to “rescue dog” as a breed in this context!)  Truly, rescue dogs know where they came from and appreciate what you have done for them. If you don’t believe me, look at the before and after photos of a dog adopted from a shelter!

When you adopt from a rescue, you are actually saving several lives:

• The dog you take home.
• The next dog the rescue pulls to fill the vacancy you created.
• The dog who is able to come into the shelter, replacing the dog pulled by the rescue.

But, if you can’t donate or adopt, you can still help your favorite rescue save lives.

5 Easy Ways to Help

There are five easy ways to help your favorite rescue organization without committing your own money or home.  Perhaps your budget is strained. Maybe you don’t have room for another dog. No problem.

Social Media –

Find your favorite rescue on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitter, etc).  Follow them and share, like, heart, and comment on their posts. Interact with their posts! More interactions = more views.

Social media algorithms recognize popular posts and present them to more people. Because, it’s a fact that the more people like something, the larger the crowd following it will be.

Volunteer –

What is your super power?  Tap into that skill and offer up assistance to the organization.

• Help then with fund raising.
• Assist at live events. This assistance can be as simple as sitting at the booth while the rescue staff grab a bite to eat and a restroom break.
• Complete and submit grant applications. There are many places offering grants and cash or product assistance but rescue staff don’t always have time to complete the application process.
• Act as administrator on social media account. Sometimes people running a rescue simply don’t have time to master social media platforms. Other times, they just need somebody to keep an eye on comments and respond to inquiries.
• Show up. Foster a dog. Clean kennels. Walk the dogs. Provide social interaction and training for the dogs by playing with them or taking them around the block for a C-A-R R-I-D-E.

Transport –

Many times rescue animals are located a distance from the organization interested in them. These dogs need transportation from the shelter to the rescue. Other times adopted pets are going to a new home far from the rescue. We’ve even needed to move equipment from one state to another. If you like to drive or have a vehicle or trailer, put that to use.

Donate –

We’ve already talked about money. But supplies are also greatly appreciated. If you are local to your favorite rescue organization, ask what they need. Perhaps you can drop it off. Amazon wish lists are a great way to help with supplies and food also.

We’ve had the following supplies donated to us:

• Food
• Medical supplies: diabetic glucose meter, insulin needles
• Leashes & collars
• Toys & Blankets
• Cleaning supplies: bleach, Lysol, poop bags
• Office items: pens, paper, ink for the printer

Fund Raise –

Even if you aren’t “Made of Money” you can raise funds for a rescue. You can host an event.  We had a group host an evening of dinner and dancing entertainment which raised a thousand dollars.  Some people create an online auction and donate the proceeds. Other people host a party (think Pampered Chef, Avon, etc) and dedicate a percentage of the sales to the rescue. Traditional fund raising activities such as bake sales, car washes, and walk-a-thons for sponsorship have also been successful at bringing awareness as well as dollars to rescue organizations.

Spread the Word –

Talk about your favorite rescue with your friends, family, and coworkers. You never know who will be looking to adopt a dog or find a cause they want to support. The more you tell people about the rescue, the more chances they have for finding more people to help the rescue.

You Can Help

No matter what your time, money, or other resources, there is a way you can help. Start now by sharing this post on social media. Then look at the five ways listed above and see if you can fit one or another into your life.

If nothing else, get creative … contact your favorite rescue and tell them your idea, you never know, they may love it!