By Robbi Hess ~ Managing Editor Pet Calendar, Crimeless Cat Executive Story Editor, Chief Cat Herder
For many of us, our only knowledge of our local shelter is when we hear it is hosting a rescue and adoption event or when the volunteers are asking for donations for the pets in their care. Shelter and rescue employees and volunteers work tirelessly to find cats, dogs and other animals in their care forever homes.
Until the animals are adopted the shelter operators and volunteers give them love, care and compassion as many of the pets there awaiting their forever homes are scared and confused and wondering what they might have done that brought them to a shelter.
Pet Calendar: Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
Shelters are portrayed as sad, dreary places where the animals sit, with their faces pressed against the mesh of their kennels, staring expectantly at anyone who walks past. That may be true for some shelters, but many of today’s shelters are sunny, happy places. Shelter and rescue operators understand that a happy space will lead to happier pets and that, in turn, may lead to more adoptions and happy ever afters for the pets in their care.
Shelter operators are faced with families who simply can no longer care for their pets, they deal with abandoned pets and they deal with pets who are terrified and angry at being in an unfamiliar and frightening space. Shelter workers are a compassionate group of individuals who are warm, inviting and want to do what is best for the pets in their care.
The Humane Society of the United States designated the first week in November as National Shelter Appreciation Week. We believe we should appreciate our local shelters and those who work in them every day of the year, don’t you? If you haven’t given your local shelter and its workers much thought recently, please let this first week of November be the impetus to check out your local shelter.
How can you appreciate your local shelter workers?
- Bake them some treats
- Send a thank-you note to the workers
- Donate items to the shelter that are on its wish list
- Volunteer your time
- Adopt one of the pets in their care
- Donate cash to the shelter
- Make a donation to the veterinarian’s office with which it works to help pay for vet bills
- Pay the adoption fee of one of the pets there and make it easier for a family who may not be able to afford the adoption fees to adopt that pet.
You don’t have to wait until you see your local shelter at an event to donate or volunteer. Reach out today and ask how you can help!
