Do you remember your pet’s gotcha day? I do!
I talked about the day I made a run to the grocery store and came home with milk, eggs, bread, and a cute Siamese Calico kitten I would later name Dusty. She was at risk of being a shelter cat but divine intervention kicked in luckily for me.
Can you relate?
Did you get your pet from a shelter?
However you came to get Fluffy, I know you did your part to give an animal a loving home. Unfortunately, millions of animals are not so lucky. This week on April 30th we recognize Adopt a Shelter pet day.
Are you familiar with this special day? Keep reading.
Origin of Adopt a Shelter Pet Day- April 30th
According to AmericanHumane.org, National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day was created in an effort to raise awareness for the millions of animals waiting for their forever homes in shelters across the country.
The origin of this day came from the creation of Adopt a Dog Month back in October 1981 to bring awareness about dogs stuck in the shelter system. It was not long before other pet owners started talking about having a day where all pets are celebrated, and people are made aware of the need and benefits of adopting these animals as pets. This is how April 30th became known as National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.
Why is adopting a shelter pet important?
Here are a few alarming statistics.
According to the ASPCA, over 6.3 million animals enter shelters every year, however, only about 4.1 million animals in shelters get adopted.
Additionally, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized in shelters annually due to a lack of space, food, and resources.
Why Choose a Shelter Pet?
Maybe you are looking to adopt or perhaps you are not quite ready yet. Either way choosing a shelter pet to become part of your family is a great idea and here’s why.
- Many shelter pets are already house trained.
- Many shelter pets have already been socialized and can safely interact with adults, children, and other animals.
- They have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
- Unlike purebred animals, shelter animals cost next to nothing versus hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Now that you are aware of the origin of this special day and how National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day impacts animals, let’s explore ways you can show support in your community.
5 Easy ways to show support on Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
1) Volunteer at a shelter
One of the easiest and fun ways to show support for animals in shelters is by volunteering at a shelter or nonprofit organization that helps pets.
The great thing about volunteering is that you can dedicate time on your own schedule after work or before work. You can use your talents and skills and abilities to help shelter pets and need.
Whether that means using your administrative skills to help complete paperwork in an office or if you like the hands-on approach and work directly with animals cleaning, feeding, and cleaning cages, you can do your part to help shelter animals in need.
Volunteering is a great way to show your support.
2) Donate/ Complete a wish list for a shelter organization.
Another way you can show support for animals on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day is by donating monetary funds or helping to fulfill a wish list for shelter organizations that need pet supplies, food, and other resources.
Sometimes taking time to volunteer your time is not an option but you still want to show your support. A great way to do this is by donating money to help provide food, toys and other resources for organizations helping shelter pets in need.
3) Spread the word.
Another way to help shelter pets in need at no cost is by spreading the word about National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on social media. Knowledge is power. When you have the ability to learn more you can do more to help others in need. Strike up a conversation with friends.
4) Foster a pet to help them find a forever home.
Another way to help animals in need is by fostering a pet to help them find their forever home.
Maybe you’ve experienced a recent loss and are not ready to adopt a pet. However, you can still help by fostering. I shared some of my own fostering adventures on the blog you can check out my experience here.
Fostering is a great way to welcome a pet into your home at low or no cost to you, as food and supplies are provided. Additionally, fostering a shelter pet helps them get further socialization and comfort in a safe environment. And you never know. You may become a foster failure and permanently help a shelter pet in need.
5) Adopt a shelter pet.
Lastly, adopting a shelter pet is the best way you can help become part of the solution with the greatest return. Welcoming a shelter pet as part of your family is the best gift you can give them as they will undoubtedly be forever grateful and show you unconditional love and support for the rest of their days. Providing a permanent loving home, safe refuge for a shelter pet, and expanding your family is priceless.
Where can I find a shelter pet?
Adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment. If you are serious about adopting or fostering a shelter pet, here are a few resources to explore.
The Shelter Pet Project
PetFinder
Animal Care Centers of NYC
ASPCA
Final Thoughts
To conclude, those are five easy and fun ways that you can show your support for Adopt a Shelter pet day. Today and every day is a great opportunity to show support for animals in need. From fostering and adoption to donating money and volunteering, you can easily demonstrate your support of shelter animals.
Please help me spread the word about this important day by sharing this blog post with a pin or tag a friend.
Let me know how you will show your support for shelter pets on April 30th. Leave a comment below.
PIN ME!
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-adopt-shelter-pet-day/
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/blog/adopt-shelter-pet-day-how-get-involved
https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
16 Comments
Dorothy "FiveSibesMom"
A great day to highlight! Two of my past dogs have come from our then local SPCA. I network many Huskies and northern breed dogs up for adoption to help them find homes, and most certainly will continue to do so! It is my hope (dream) that one day all the shelters will be empty and the homeless pets will have forever homes. Pinning & Tweeting to share!
Admin
Dorothy,
Thank you for all the work you do to help animals find their forever homes!! And thanks for the shares. 🙂
Michelle & The Paw Pack
Great tips! As much as I’d love to adopt another dog, we rent our house currently and can’t get anymore. We’re (slowly) working towards buying a house and I do plan to foster once we have a place of our own. Until then, I donate often to our local shelter and help raise awareness for pets in need.
Admin
Michelle,
That’s awesome! I know what you mean. Due to shelter renovations and spacing, we’re taking a pause on fostering at the moment too. I look forward to starting again soon.
Terri
I love learning about the history of National Adopt A Shelter Pet. How is it possible that there are 6.3 million animals in shelters, 4.1 million are adopted, and 920,000 are euthanized a year? I know those are big numbers. But still, the gap is within reach. Has it gone down at all with the pandemic or over the years? My analytical side is screaming “what can be done to make the (euthanized) number go away!” I’m just thinking and typing. I hate seeing so many animals in shelters. I adopted Henry. I love supporting my local shelters. I always encourage spaying and neutering.
These are fabulous tips you offered for National Adopt A Shelter Pet. I’m sharing and spreading the word. I hope one day we won’t need such a day.
Admin
Terri,
I know right?! I was stunned that number is almost a million annually. I totally support local shelters and getting our pets fixed. It’s one way to stop overpopulation in its tracks. Thanks so much for the shares.
Cathy Armato
I can’t believe the stats are still this bad, that really is upsetting. Your suggestions to help shelter pets are all great. I have fostered, volunteered as an adoption counselor, and posted adoptable pets on social media. All my dogs & cats were shelter pets except for my Husky, Icy. Shelter pets are amazing and they deserve our help. Great post!
Admin
Cathy,
Thank you so much and I appreciate you sharing your insight too.
jana rade
We adopted Cookie and she is the sweetest, loveliest dog we could have ever wished for.
Admin
Jana,
That’s another blessing with shelter pets…they are eternally grateful to have a forever home and show us every day.
Ruth Epstein
Layla is adopted from a high kill shelter, one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I found her on Petharbor.om when searching for a dog. We need to speak up for shelter pets all year round to save them
Admin
Ruth,
Well said! We must speak up for them as they don’t have a voice. I’m so glad you found Layla. As much as you save her, she did the same for you too during a pivotal time in your life. So glad you both have each other. 🙂
Robin
Both of my kitties are rescues! They were never in shelters, I rescued them right off the street basically. My Cinco was a shelter kitty. I am helping shelter pets by spreading awareness. That is as much as I can do right now. I celebrated with my kitties yesterday by taking a nice nap with them. It was very needed.
Admin
Robin,
Nice! I did the same with my angel cats. With my cat Dusty, I literally got her off the street curb from a boy selling kittens in a cardboard box in front of the grocery store. If he wasn’t around I know she’d be shipped off to a shelter or worse. I’m glad you got to spend some downtime with your fur kids!
Marjorie at Dash Kitten
This is such a useful post. There is so much we can do to empty the shelters (mostly by neutering our pets before this kind of overwhelm happens). People forget you can get a great pet from a shelter and that there are breed specific rescues that even deal with pedigrees!!!
Admin
Marjorie,
Well said! Thanks for sharing your tips and insight!