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1. Walk shelter dogs.
Most shelters don’t have enough staff to walk the dogs often. I try to walk dogs at a local shelter once a month. It’s hard to find the time, but the one I go to lets people stop by anytime throughout the day to walk dogs without an appointment. Dogs spend hours locked in small kennels at shelters across the country, so any time you can spare to walk one will make a difference for that dog on that day. Click here for my post on walking with shelter dogs.

2. Walk an elderly person’s dog.
I know more than one senior with a young or hyper dog. A lot of older people aren’t able to walk their dogs at all. Imagine how helpful it would be if someone did it for them, plus the dog would behave better if it got more exercise.

3. Take your dog to visit a hospital.
Dogs are great therapy, as we all know. Of course, some hospitals won’t allow dogs to visit, but some will. Some even have volunteer programs set up. I would love to bring Ace to a children’s hospital.

4. Transport animals for a rescue.
Dogs and cats often need to be picked up and brought to shelters or taken from shelters to their potential new families. Most of the time it’s volunteers who do this.

5. Foster a pet.
If you foster an animal, you are saving that dog or cat’s life.

6. Donate money to an animal shelter.
We all know shelters always need money to pay for vaccinations and other veterinary care, food and other bills. Five dollars does make a difference.

7. Donate your time to a shelter.
Money is always needed, but so is help. Volunteers might clean, write news letters, answer phones, manage the web site or answer questions from potential adopters.

8. Take your dog to visit a nursing home.
I’ve always wanted to do this regularly, but haven’t yet. Ace went along to visit my own grandma in a nursing home one time, and he was a good boy during that visit.

9. Promote awareness.
Use your blog to write about how to help animals or to write about your own experiences helping animals. Tell people about affordable spaying and neutering programs. Encourage others to adopt from a shelter.

What are some ways you have volunteered involving animals?

(Image from glenards-goldens.com)

This is Matty. I have never featured a homeless pet before, mostly because I know there are thousands out there. How could it do any good if I post a cute photo and notes about just one dog? I’m not sure if this will help Matty or not. What I do know is this: There are hundreds of homeless pets just like him in your area. You can help those dogs by adopting, fostering, volunteering or donating. Just because you can’t adopt another pet doesn’t mean you can’t do something to help.

As for Matty, he is lucky enough to be staying at 4luvofdog in Fargo, a rescue that saves local animals from death row. Matty has needed a foster home for a long time, but he still remains positive. He is full of energy, because he needs a home with someone who will take him for long walks and runs, according to the shelter web site. Matty is unsure of how to play with other dogs and can’t be trusted around cats. But he loves people! He is house and crate trained. He is about 18 months old, up to date on shots and neutered.

If you’d like more information about Matty, email me at Lindsay@thatmutt.com

I began walking shelter dogs last fall at the Natural Pet Center in Fargo, which also keeps dogs from the online rescue, 4luvofdog. The sad thing is, although I haven’t been there since Thanksgiving, some of the same dogs still sit at the shelter, waiting to be walked every day. These dogs waited in their kennels all winter, getting out for a few short walks here and there.

Take Georgia, for example. She is a pit bull mix who was saved from being euthanized during her last hours at a pound in the state she was named after. But now Georgia has been living at the shelter in Fargo, waiting for even a foster home since May 2007.

There is something rewarding about any kind of volunteer work. I wish I volunteered more often. It is always a goal to mine, but seems to remain a goal. Even walking one dog a week for a half hour makes a difference for that dog on that day. Every time I am at the pet center, the dog I choose to walk bursts out of his kennel and pulls and pulls during the entire walk, so the walk isn’t even pleasant. But I know it’s just because of the energy and frustration the dog has built up over the weeks and months. I should take a shelter dog for a run once a week. It would do us both good.

If you can spare some time or money, I recommend volunteering or donating to an animal shelter in your area. If you are like me and unable to foster a pet, donating is a good way to go. It will make a difference in at least one dog’s life.