On January 24th, we celebrate Change A Pet’s Life Day. This special day is for encouraging people to adopt pets from shelters and raise awareness about animals in need.
There are tons of ways to celebrate and change an animal’s life for the better. Even though adoption is encouraged on this day, and many shelters have reduced adoption fees to celebrate, you don’t have to adopt a cat or dog every year to make a positive impact.
Here are just a few ways you can change a pet’s life, from DogTime:
Foster if you can’t Adopt
Adopting a shelter pet is a huge way to make an impact on its life. But even if you’re not ready to commit to a lifetime of love just yet, you can get a trial run by fostering. Fosters also help other animals by freeing up some resources at shelters so new pups and kittens can get what they need and have a better chance of finding forever homes.
Lots of shelters have reduced rates for Change A Pet’s Life Day, so it’s a great day to look into adopting, too.
Sponsor A Dog or Cat
If you’re unable to take home a pet of your own right now, many shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries will allow you to sponsor a specific pet of your choosing. Depending on your sponsorship, you might get updates and pictures in the mail that let you know how your dog or cat is doing, or you may be able to sponsor an adoption fee to encourage a loving forever family to take your pet home.
It’s a great way to change a dog or cat’s life for the better if you can’t adopt.
Volunteer Your Time
Shelters are always in need of people to help walk dogs and give dogs/cats love and attention while they wait for forever homes.
Volunteering your time will help shelters provide care for all the animals that they look after, and it helps them get some much needed socialization, which in turn helps them become more adoptable. Being a volunteer makes a big difference in the lives of dogs and cats who are waiting to find their new families.
You can find out more about how to volunteer at an animal shelter here!
Donate
Shelters cost lots of money to operate, and most of them are nonprofits. They rely on donations from animal lovers so that they can take care of as many animals as possible. By making a charitable contribution to a shelter, you’re making sure that the animals in their care get food, medical care, vaccinations, microchips, and everything they need to stay healthy and prepare for a life in a loving home.
You can also write off most donations to shelters and rescues on your taxes. Win-Win!
Spread The Word
Thanks to social media, getting the word out about adoptable animals has never been easier. By simply sharing pics and stories of rescues in need on your Facebook wall, you’re helping those dogs and cats get seen and shared by others.
It’s very easy and makes a huge difference in the lives of dogs looking to get adopted.
Raise Awareness For Shelters
Check local shelters near you, and see if they are holding any events for Change A Pet’s Life Day. Chances are good that you can get involved and, at the very least, help raise awareness for what the shelter needs to make these animals’ lives better. Spread the word to all your friends, and make upcoming shelter events a fun chance to get in touch with the people you care about for a good cause.
The shelter animals will appreciate it, and you’ll get even more people involved.
Tell Your Rescue’s Story
A simple way to help encourage others to adopt and make a difference in a shelter animal’s life is to share your own rescue story. Where did you meet your dog or cat? Was it love at first sight? What were the challenges, and how has your rescue pet changed your life for the better?
Showing the positive impact your rescue has had on your life is a great way to show others that one might be right for them, too. You’ll be helping to encourage adoption, and it’s a great opportunity to talk all about your beloved furball, which is something we animal lovers are always happy to do.
Make Some Positive Changes For Your Own Pet
Maybe you’ve already adopted a shelter animal of your own, and that’s a great first step in changing a rescue’s life for the better. But there are always more changes you can make and ways to improve your own bond with your pet. DogTime suggests learning some new tricks or getting into an exercise routine. See what you can do to connect with your dog or cat on a deeper level, or just try making some homemade food or treats.
Changing a dog or cat’s life for the better will change your own life for the better, too.
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Photo Credit: hedgehog94 / Shutterstock.com