People who come to the shelter, particularly at this time of year, ask how they can help. It is a simple question with a complex answer. There are indeed many ways that people in the community can help homeless animals and we are grateful for their compassion. We are fortunate that people in our community are concerned about homeless animals. The reality is that homeless animals are a community problem and it is a problem that must be solved by the community within the community.
While we have a long way to go, our goal is to reduce the number of homeless animals to the point that the number of animals looking for homes will be significantly less than the number of homes looking to adopt. We ask for the community’s help in this endeavor. Yes, we ask for financial and in-kind support because it is absolutely necessary. In fact, the number of animals that we can help is dictated and sometimes limited by the financial support that we receive. We appreciate that support tremendously and it saves lives. We also appreciate when people give their time. Our volunteers are critical to our goal of providing the best possible care to the animals in the shelter and those that we help in the community.
There are other ways to support the SPCA mission that you may not think important but they help. Be our ambassador. If you think we do good work for the animals tell your friends, family and neighbors. Ask that they too support our work. Get your pets micro-chipped. Most stray dogs are returned to their owners but not always without the expenditure of town and shelter resources. Only about five percent of stray cats are reclaimed though. Vaccinate your pets for rabies and don’t let their vaccines lapse. If you adopt a puppy, please socialize and train him or her. Most of the dogs that come to the shelter with behavior concerns are that way because they received inadequate or inappropriate socialization. Puppies require exercise and time, consider this before you adopt. One of the most important ways that people can help is to spay or neuter their pets, especially cats. If you know someone who has dogs or cats that aren’t, gently encourage them to do so. We are inundated with calls requesting that we take kittens or pregnant cats into the shelter from March though December. Spaying and neutering, especially cats because there are so many more of them, saves lives and resources.
If you would like to talk to us about how you would like to help, please give us a call. We will be thankful.