Five Inexpensive Ways to Support Your Local Shelter

When people think about donating to their local shelter, they mostly think of giving money. That doesn’t mean that setting aside some cash now and then is the only way you can help, though! If you can’t spare the change but still want to support homeless animals and the people that care for them, there are a multitude of other fun, cheap ways to do so.

1. Sew pet beds

When I was ten years old, I wanted to volunteer at a pet shelter. I’d heard all about the animals without homes, and being the total animal lover that I am, I wanted to help out in any way I could. Unfortunately, I was too young at the time to volunteer, and only had five dollars to my name. However, I found another way to support the homeless pets in my community that didn’t involve money. I gathered up my needles, thread, pins, and sewing know-how, and made a total of seven dog and cat beds to donate to my local shelter. The staff at the shelter were thrilled to have new, cute beds for the pets, and it was amazing for me to see my hard work go to such a good cause.

2. Host an event to benefit the shelter

I’ve found that a lot of people are more willing to donate money to a good cause if they’re getting something in return, even if that “something” is just a brownie or a good time. If you like to bake, run, or just have great organizational skills, one way to help your local shelter would be to hold a bake sale, fun run, pet show, or other event to benefit homeless pets. Bake sales are an easy and inexpensive option, since all you need is a table, a couple of cardboard signs, and the ingredients in your kitchen. Same with fun runs and pet shows; the only trick is getting the word out to the community, and making sure that enough people sign up for and come to the event.

3. Make pet toys to donate

Just like the pet beds that I hand-made as a kid, anyone with a knack for crafting can whip up some fun pet toys using inexpensive materials and just a touch of imagination. The website Big DIY Ideas has a list of easy-to-make and safe-to-use pet toys that you can craft yourself, if you’re looking for ideas. From hand-woven tug toys to homemade sweet potato che toys, this list is a great place to start. Just remember to inform the staff at your local shelter if any of the toys you’re donating contain food or other materials that animals could be allergic to, such as peanut butter, beef, chicken, or soy. Also, never use any items that could be harmful to animals—some DIY pet toys that I’ve seen on the internet use items such as pop bottles, which you should stay away from; pop bottles can be very sharp, and might hurt an animal’s mouth if chewed on. In other words, just check with your shelter’s staff to make sure that all your homemade toys are safe for the animals, and you should be fine!

4. Tell others in your community about ways they can help, too!

If you’ve already donated as much time, effort, and money as you can, another way to help your local shelter or pet rescue group is to spread the word about things others can do to help, too. If you have friends, acquaintances, or family members that love animals, try reaching out to them and asking if there’s anything they can do to support homeless pets. If you decide to have a bake sale or other event to benefit a pet rescue organization, that’s another great opportunity to spread awareness about homeless animals and what people can do to help them.

5. Volunteer

If you have extra time on your hands or think you would enjoy spending some free time helping animals, volunteering at your local shelter is a great thing to do. Most shelters really appreciate the support, and volunteering your skills, whatever they may be, is the perfect way to help. There are so many things that volunteers can do, from walking, feeding, and grooming pets to coming up with new marketing strategies, or even managing a shelter’s social media accounts. No matter your skills, volunteering is an awesome way to support your local animal rescue group or pet shelter organization.

Have you ever volunteered at or donated to a shelter or other pet rescue organization? Do you have any tips or tricks for helping support homeless pets in your community? Leave a comment and let us know!