It is impossible to overstate the importance of animal shelters. These organizations provide animals with safe haven, medical attention, and a second chance. Thousands of animals are cared for and find forever homes each year because of the tireless efforts of volunteers and shelter staff.
Without shelters, countless animals would be left vulnerable to neglect, cruelty, and the harsh realities of life on the streets. Unfortunately, many shelters struggle to raise funds to maintain daily operations.
As both pet owners and community members, there are many simple and impactful ways to support our local shelters and make a difference in the lives of our communities’ most vulnerable animals.
How Shelters Help
Shelters care for vulnerable animals and ensure community safety by preventing stray animals and lost pets from roaming outdoors, which poses risks to both animals and people. When animals are left to roam, it puts them in danger of running into traffic, wild animals, and the possibility of contracting rabies.
A shelter’s work extends well beyond housing and caring for homeless animals and lost pets – many shelters offer community programs like spaying and neutering, vaccination clinics, emergency boarding, and foster and volunteering programs. These services help address and correct the root causes of pet homelessness, reduce the number of stray animals on the streets, and control overpopulation. By providing these services, shelters play a crucial role in promoting responsible pet ownership and ensuring the safety and well-being of animals and humans in the community.
How DocuPet Helps
Accessible pet licensing and ID tags help reduce shelter volumes by quickly getting lost pets home and off the streets. Your pet’s license tag is their ticket home should they ever get lost. When a lost pet turns up at a shelter, their tag immediately lets workers know that the pet has a home, reducing the burden on already overcrowded shelters. In some communities, licenses also prove that a pet is up to date on their rabies vaccinations, a step towards ensuring public safety against rabies outbreaks in the community.
Pet licensing fees often contribute to funding local animal services, allowing them to provide necessary care and resources for stray animals. By ensuring that pets are appropriately licensed and tagged, communities can work together to create a safer environment for both pets and residents.
Our HomeSafe™ 24/7 lost pet service has reunited thousands of lost pets with their families. Shelters often struggle with limited space and resources, but by offering linked pet tags and comprehensive online profiles, lost pets with valid ID tags spend little time there, which in turn frees up vital space and resources for animals who truly need them. Plus, when you upgrade your tag to one of our designer tag styles, we donate 20% of that purchase to our Safe&Happy Fund, which provides additional funding to local shelters through designer tag purchases and optional donations at checkout. Want to donate to the Safe&Happy Fund? You can select a preset or custom amount to donate at checkout. Click “add donation” to add a donation to your order.
How You Can Help
There are so many great ways you can help support shelter animals and the hardworking staff caring for them. Here are a few ways to do just that:
- License your pet. Licensing keeps your pet safe and easily identifiable and helps support local shelters and the animals they care for, all while freeing up valuable shelter space and resources.
- Consider adopting from your neighborhood animal shelter if you’re thinking of expanding your family to include a new (furry) member.
- Make a monetary donation to a shelter.
- Donations such as food, toys, blankets, and other pet supplies can be beneficial. Check with your local shelter to see what items they accept as donations.
- Look into volunteering! You not only get to spend time with some adorable animals, but you are also making a difference. Volunteering can be fulfilling and make a positive difference in the lives of animals awaiting adoption.
- Share and post about your local shelter on social media. Facebook and Instagram are excellent platforms for spreading the word. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy seeing adorable animals on their feed?
- Look into any possible foster opportunities for animals up for adoption.
We understand the importance of helping furry friends in need, especially shelter animals who rely on the kindness and compassion of humans to provide them with a second chance at a happy and fulfilling life. Together, we can significantly impact the lives of these vulnerable creatures and create a more compassionate society for all animals.
