Top 10 Items to Donate to Your Local Animal Shelter

We made this donation to our local animal shelter this Tuesday

This Holiday Season, Give to Dogs in Need

The holiday season is a time to be thankful for what you have and enjoying time with friends, family and with your dogs.  As we appreciate the things we have in life, it’s a great time to making a donation to the causes we support. Donating to your local animal shelter can help make the lives of homeless dogs and cats better and maybe even help them find a new home.

Making a donation: Top 10 items that Animal Shelters often need

1. Cleaning supplies – Keeping all of the bedding, toys, kennels and cages clean takes an enormous amount of cleaning supplies. Things like bleach, laundry detergent, mops, paper towels, sponges, trash bags, and other supplies are needed. Not sure what to get? Give your local animal shelter a call and ask. Sometimes they even post their needs on their websites.
2. Blankets and towels – These donations can be your old blankets and towels or new ones, the dogs and cats won’t care if they are used. Blankets and towels not only provide a nice place for the animals to lay, but can also be used to dry the animals off when needed.
3. Pet food – Any kind of pet food makes a good donation, but sometimes shelters are in need of a specific type. So if you want to fill a specific time-sensitive need, give them a call.
4. Leashes and collars – Collars and leashes are often given to the new owners, so there is a need for new ones coming in as new animals come in. Leashes get worn out – so there may be a need for this too.
5. Grooming supplies – This includes brushes, toenail clippers, shampoo, and other items needed to keep the animals clean.
6. Office supplies – Paper, paper clips, staples, tape, post-its, etc. are all used in the daily activities of the shelter staff.  The animal shelters keep records of all of the animals and must maintain the daily business of the shelter. These supplies aren’t always thought of, but help keep the shelter running.
7. Cat litter – Some shelters only use certain types of cat litter, so call first to make sure that you get something that can be used. This is an important donation for the many cats that a shelter keeps.
8. Toys – Animals kept cooped up get bored. Providing toys to the animals helps to keep them entertained. My local shelter specifically asked for Kongs, which keep the dogs entertained.
9. Dog and Cat Treats – Who doesn’t like a treat? A treat is a great way to give these abandoned animals just a little extra love and attention. It can help to socialize the animals a bit too by giving them a positive reward with human interaction.
10. Cash – This is the easiest type of donation to make. You can usually do it online or send a check to the shelter. With cash donations, the shelters can make the purchase of items that they need when they need them and no storage is required.

When to make your donation

Any time is a good time to donate to your local animal shelter – they are almost always in need. Most shelters will be closed on the holidays, so be sure to call ahead and make sure that your local animal shelter is open before dropping of donations.

Donating your time

If you prefer to donate your time, animal shelters have lots of things you can do. Helping out by walking dogs, cleaning cages, taking pets to donation days, and helping out in the office are just a couple of examples. Contact your local animal shelter and find out how you can help.