Today we are co-hosting Blog the Change for Animals, a quarterly event where bloggers come together to share ideas and organizations with the purpose of being the change for animals. Please join me and my co-host, Stunning Keisha, you can grab the linky code below.
For those of you who are tuning in for Follow-Up Friday, don’t worry, that post is scheduled for today also.
My idea for Be the Change is inspired by a woman in my neighborhood. Sampson has won her over to the dog side and on our afternoon walks we often times stop for a snuggle and a chat. (He gets the snuggle, I get the chat, just in case you’re wondering.) 🙂
Yesterday Karen was sharing with me that her 19-year old cat had passed the week before. It was apparent from the stories she was sharing how much she adored her cat.
So I asked her, “Are you planning on getting another cat?”
And she said, “No, not right now.”
Then she went on to explain that they hadn’t been able to travel, because the cat was unsettled when they left her, so they were going to take the time now and travel a bitThen she said the absolute sweetest thing, she said she was going to take the money she had that would have typically gone to vet bills and pet supplies and make a monthly donation to the Humane Society or ASPCA.
“THAT is a great idea,” I told her, and I even suggested she could find local rescues if she was concerned about keeping her money local.
While many of us might not be able to make a sizable donation (siriusly, some of these people have minimum requirements for donations, which ticks me off to no end) I bet we could add a can of dog food, or a small box of cat food to our grocery list and donate it to a local rescue. Or even skip that Dunkin or Starbucks coffee one day and put that money in the can at the pet store.
Do you have any suggestions for ways to help animals in need?
Not everyone could do this, but when I worked at the hospital we would go through a lot of baby quilts and blankets. Repeated washing and use would take their toll. One time I took all the old blankets and donated them to the local animal shelter. They were so appreciative.
That’s a great idea, even old towels would come in handy!
When Shadow was going through her picky-eater stage earlier this year, I had several cans of different dog food recipes (mostly Merrick) left that she decided she didn’t like any more. Rather than take them back to Petco, I put them in the shelter donation bucket at our vet’s office. And when some of the cans of her current food suffer some dings at the hands of delivery people, I put those in the bucket too. Or, I’ll add a bag of treats. And, at least twice a year I send a donation to the Morris Animal Foundation to help in their research for a cure for animal cancer.
That’s awesome Sue. Our local pet store always has some type of dog/cat treat/food on sale and always a bucket at the end of the register. When I have a bit of extra, I always throw something in there.
What a lovely idea to continue the funds to help the Humane Society or the ASPCA. A lovely tribute to beloved pet who has crossed to the Rainbow Bridge. My one Husky, now furangel, was an epileptic and together we founded the #LiveGibStrong K9 Epilepsy Awareness campaign, and I am continuing to bring awareness and support to others on the same journey in his name, including fundraising from sales of my books, and also auctions to help other dogs with epilepsy in need and to support research into Canine Epilepsy.
I had never thought of it and thought it was a really sweet idea.
What you are doing to raise awareness of canine Epilepsy is awesome. There is a no more generous and kind group of people than the pet lovers.
We give to the Humane Society now and then, and we enter giveaways to win food which we will donate to shelters if we win. I think the biggest thing we ever did was adopting cat bro Bert…the shelter should be so grateful we took that trouble causing cat off their hands and did not return him!
LOL yes, I’m sure they were grateful about Bert. 🙂
That is a great idea to enter contests and donate the prizes, every little bit helps.
What a great idea and also very touching!
What a wonderful idea by your neighbor! I know there are some people that enter the giveaways on blogs and social media, just to donate the winnings to a shelter.
You pawsitive it was only Sampson who wanted the snuggle?! Just checking. 🙂
Rescue groups often have a wish list of things they need/want. I’d check with them to see the best way to help them out. Sometimes, it’s time so volunteering makes a big difference. We all don’t have to write a check for a gazillion bucks (though that would never be refused). And sometimes they can really use office supplies too but it’s always good to check.
That is a terrific idea to help homeless pets. I hope one day when the time is right for her, she’ll adopt a cat, but in the meantime, it is awesome to help those without homes.
Sorry for your neighbors loss but what a great idea she had by making a donation.
That is nice of your neighbor. Sorry about her kitty.