DECEMBER 20, 2015
Christmas Eve is only 5 days away but that is plenty of time to spread good cheer in your area. Here are five ways you can give back:
1. Donate Gather blankets, sweaters, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and laundry detergent for a local shelter in need. Most things you need to run your household a shelter needs too, not only for their pets but for the staff and maintenance of the facility. Go a step further by asking friends and neighbors if they'd like do a quick cleaning spree around the house, donating their items and making room for all of the new gifts that are soon to be unwrapped.
2. Educate Having the whole family gathered around the dinner table and catching up with your relatives is a great opportunity to spread awareness about the amount of animals in need and lack of resources we face today. I mean, we all have that relative who still thinks "animals were made to live outside," right? There are endless ugly topics to discuss regarding animal rescue, but if asked, "What have you been up to?" take this time to detail how gratifying, humbling and empowering your experiences have been. Talk about the good and save your most gruesome stories for another day.
3. Give Monetary donations are equally helpful. We all tend to feel a bit more generous around the holiday season, giving back to our loved ones and those less fortunate. Maybe you can do this by giving up a luxury for a week or two like dining out or purchasing coffee from a shop.
4. Be Open Ask your local shelters if they need temporary fosters over the holiday. Shelter animals come in all shapes and sizes with different needs. Sometime shelter staff find it beneficial for the animals to be in a home for the holidays and remember to hold on hope for their own forever family. Months on end in a kennel can be extremely taxing on their spirits.
5. Research It's common to see adoptions spike right before Christmas and sadly, many of these animals end up back in the shelter or worse. If your whole family has truly committed to adopting a new family member, choose to research your options together so the entire family can be involved in the process. Wait until the after the holidays so you don't feel rushed and take your time. Pets are not gifts and this extra step will ensure that you and your new pet will be lifelong companions.
We are grateful for many things this holiday season, including you, our readers. It takes time and patience to bring understanding of the animal welfare crisis we face in today's society. It requires a transformation of thought process. We all have the ability to share, teach and spread awareness. We must get in the habit of constantly thinking of how our actions affect others, what we can do to help and how our stories can impact and empower. Thank you for being a part of our family and thank you for speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves, you are the Voice of Rescue.
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