How Kids Can Help Animal Shelters and Homeless Pets

What Kids Can Do for Animals

Help the kids in your life improve the lives of homeless animals. Following are some ideas.

Donate to Pet Food Banks

Does your community have a pet food bank? If it does, encourage your child to donate.

Meals on Wheels programs often deliver pet food to their clients. Find out what group(s) in your community have a food bank for people and partner with them for setting up a pet food bank if one isn't already established.

Start a tradition in your family of giving to a pet food bank . . . not just at Christmas or the holidays, but frequently throughout the year.

Volunteer for Animals as a Family

Shelters use volunteers to walk dogs and play with cats. Take your small children to your local shelter to participate. These pets need lots of human interaction to make them more sociable and adoptable.

Sponsor a Contest at School

Which class can bring the most pet food or other items for your shelter's wish list? Offer the winning class a fun activity, such as a pizza party.

Include Animals at Holiday Parties or Special Events

-- For Valentine's Day at school, bring "valentines" for the animals at the local shelter. Ask for the shelter's wish list, and ask each child to bring an item. Have a field trip to the shelter to deliver these valentines.

-- Plan your children's birthday parties to include a visit to the animal shelter. Ask guests to bring items from your shelter's wish list or pet food (specify the brands they ask for).

-- Ask kids to contribute to the local pet food bank for Christmas, birthdays, etc.

Involve Kids in the Pet Adoption Process

Partner with your local shelter to organize a sidewalk pet adoption at a mall or other high traffic area. Ask the shelter to let kids participate in the adoption process at community events, fairs, etc.

Help Kids Raise Money for Shelters

Kids can have a bake sale or set up lemonade stands to raise money for the local shelter in conjunction with community events.

Ask art galleries to sponsor an art contest for kids. The winning "artists" will present a check to the local shelter.

Think of activities that are appropriate for your community. Ask your shelter for ideas. Better yet, ask kids what they'd like to do.

Create Email Newsletters. Easy to Use with Free Support.

AWeber offers an easy to use solution for sending email newsletters. They offer free templates and manage the email database. It's the service we use. You have 30 days to test it and can get a refund if it's not right for you. Check out AWeber.

Participate in Education Programs for Local Schools

If your shelter and school aren't offering humane education at school, help your child and his / her friends to get a program started. Help them make the right contacts at the shelter and at school and make suggestions on what kids need to know about homeless animals.

Could you be a "chaperone" for animal visits to your child's school?

Local Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troops Can Earn Badges

Help your local troop earn a badge by helping animals. Get the scouts' input on what they'd like to do and coordinate with your shelter. Send a press release to your local paper to get community support.

Include Your Kids in Events for Kids Sponsored by Your Local Shelter

photo of cat The SPCA in Richmond Virginia has a variety of programs for kids. The "For Kids" page lists tours of the facility, summer camp, birthday parties, making animal crafts and more.

Be a Foster Family for Homeless Pets

Offer your services to foster a homeless pet and let your child take care of this pet.

Find Ideas for Kids Online

--The Kids Who Care page on the Berkshire (MA) Humane Society's website lists numerous fundraisers by kids. One young lady asked that friends give animals presents in honor of her graduation.

-- Kids Who Care! American Humane Awards Kids Demonstrating Kindness to Animals tells the stories of kids who won the "Be Kind to Animals" contest sponsored by the American Humane Association. Read about a 13 year old boy who raises money for protective vests for Arizona's police dogs and another young man who takes his dog to visit nursing home patients.

Pawskids.org has the moniker "creating a kinder world for animals." You'll find lots of ideas on this website for your kids. Check out excellent ideas and inspiring stories of how kids are helping animals at PAWS' Kids Helping Animals E-Newsletter Archive. You can subscribe to this quarterly email newsletter for your kids.