Every year, millions of animals end up in shelters all across the globe. These animals are either rescued from the streets or dropped off at the shelter. Though a lot of these shelters provide outstanding care and attention, there are still limitations to what they can do.
As an individual, you can contribute to these efforts in a lot of different ways. Running a shelter involves a ton of work and they will need all the help they can get. Offering even a small donation or volunteering a short amount of your time can make a huge difference.
Animals, whether we are aware or not, play a huge role in our lives and in the environment. Therefore, it’s in our best interest to help them however we can.
Altruism aside, there are quite a few key reasons we should care for them. One reason is to prevent the spread of disease.
Diseases, such as rabies, pose a huge threat to humans. The disease is fatal to humans, as well as to the animals who carry it. Infected animals become aggressive and bite without provocation.
Rescuing animals helps prevent the spread of rabies by reducing the population of potential carriers in the wild. This reduces the chance of infected animals harming other people and animals in the community.
The best and most effective way to help homeless animals is to raise awareness in the community.
Talking to people in the community can bring about the changes that will dramatically improve the welfare of these animals.
Spay and neuter your own pets, if you have them, and tell your friends to spay and neuter their pets. Spaying and neutering help control the population of strays in the community.
Advocate for adopting pets instead of shopping. There are a lot of pets in shelters today that are eager to find their forever homes. Adopting helps improve their lives and allows shelters to accommodate more pets that need their help. Some shelters even give you a starter kit of blankets, toys, and other things you may need to care for your new pet.
You can also consider donating your time and skills to your local centers. Volunteering to help out in the shelter for a few hours a week will surely be appreciated by the staff. If you have other skills such as carpentry, accounting, or graphic design, you can offer your services to the shelter. You can help build things for the animals, balance the shelter’s books, or design advertisements and print ads for the shelter.
If you see a stray dog in your area, you can help them, but you should do so with caution.
Never approach stray dogs, especially if they look scared. You may have the best intentions, but they don’t know that and could bite if you get too close. Instead, call your local animal control or animal rescue center for assistance.
Stray dogs are easily spooked and can become aggressive when cornered. It is best to let the experts handle the situation for the safety of the dog and everyone involved. Once in custody, the dogs will be tested for various diseases and their overall health is checked.
Just like dogs, stray and feral cats can be very aggressive when approached.
For you and the cat’s safety, it is best to call for professionals to deal with the situation. Until proper testing is done, one can’t be sure if the animal is free from diseases like rabies which pose a serious threat to humans.
Once in custody, you can help the cat by visiting them often once. Donating some supplies such as blankets and a litter box would be a great way to help as well.
Once fully recovered and tested for any diseases, fostering cats until they find a forever home is a possibility. Who knows, you might find a furry friend that you’d like to adopt yourself!
Thank You!
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