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The 13 Project to help animals

13 ways to help animals

I recently discovered the 13 Project.

This project was created by a site called Pretty Fluffy, and it encourages individuals to make a list of 13 achievable ways to help animals before 2013.

If we all choose just 13 small goals, the impact will be pretty great overall.

To participate, all you have to do is come up with your own list of 13 ways to help animals before the year ends.

Sounds easy, right?

You don’t have to be rich. You don’t have to be a blogger. You don’t have to be a volunteer with an animal shelter. You don’t even have to be a pet owner.

You just have to love animals.

When the project started, there were 13 weeks left in the year. Since I’m a little late, I have some catching up to do!

So, here is my list of 13 ways to help animals before the end of the year (in no particular order).

I hope I inspire some of you to make your own lists!

If you email your own lists at [email protected] or post them in the comments below, I will make one large list of ideas to share with everyone.

13 ways I plan to help homeless pets

1. Donate my mutt Ace’s dog crates to a local rescue group.

2. Donate all our unused pet supplies – bowls, toys, collars, etc.

3. Write a blog post on how to foster a cat.

4. Make a monetary donation to an open-admission, no-kill shelter.

5. Donate all our old towels and blankets to an animal shelter.

6. Promote a local homeless dog until he or she finds a home.

7. Donate a copy of the book “Redemption” to the director of a regional kill shelter.

8. Donate a wish list item to my local humane society.

9. Make an album of local adoptable pets on That Mutt’s Facebook page.

10. Sponsor the adoption fee of a local homeless pet.

11. Donate to the No Kill Advocacy Center.

12. Write a blog post about why I plan to adopt a pitbull!

13. Write a letter to the editor on why my area needs more support for TNR of feral cats.

Will you participate in the 13 Project?

A big thank you to Pretty Fluffy for all it does to help animals!

I’ll write a followup post before the end of the year to let you know my progress!

Anna

Sunday 2nd of December 2012

Hi Lindsay,

it's DAWG (Dog Adoption & Welfare Group) in Santa Barbara, CA.

Anna

Lindsay Stordahl

Sunday 2nd of December 2012

Thank you!

Anna

Saturday 1st of December 2012

Thank you, Lindsay - it is both challanging and rewarding. (My son learns to clean up his toys more promptly, now that we have the puppy. A nice bonus.)

Maybe some other shelter would like the Home for the Holidays idea? People could try out if they are ready for a dog before getting a puppy, share their left-overs and get out moving. :-)

Anna

Lindsay Stordahl

Saturday 1st of December 2012

What shelter do you work with?

Anna

Friday 30th of November 2012

Hi Lindsay,

thank you for the ideas and for all your work!

Our local no-kill shelter has this program, Home for the Holidays, where you take a dog home for two weeks during the holiday season. We just brought from there a 10-month old terrier mix and will try to teach him some basic commands and manners. Turns out he's not even potty-trained.

We also foster longer-term a dog-aggressive 7-year old GSD mix and I wanted to find her a play pal and teach her to tolerate other dogs (how?).

Both dogs are doing well and survived three days together. It's going to be fun two weeks.

I only have 2 goals to achieve: help the pups to become more adoptable. :-)

Good luck with your goals, Lindsay and all of you who participate!

Anna

Lindsay Stordahl

Saturday 1st of December 2012

I love that Home for the Holidays idea! Enjoy that time with the two foster dogs. Sounds like it will be challenging, but rewarding! :)

Lindsay Stordahl

Monday 19th of November 2012

Wow! Keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing what you've done.

William

Thursday 15th of November 2012

Hey, I love the idea of your project and the list you created to keep you focused. I recently got hooked on helping animals because of a class project. The class project evolved trying to create awareness, fundraising and volunteering for a non-profit organizing. Thankfully, I choice PAWS, because they were easy organization to interact with and they were interested in helping me surpass goals I set for myself. TUPAWS (my group) surpass the 500 dollar mark and helped a white Pitbull with a black spot get adopted. They were willing to give me bracelets and pins to sell and on top of that they allowed me to tap into resources that connected me to Seven-Eleven (cost free treats to sell) and there MuttStrut event. The event was so much fun and productive. Paws rose over $98,000, and 8 PAWS dogs left the event with their new families, enabling them to rescue eight more in their place. I just wanted to let you know about PAWS because I love your list and believe the organization fits into your list very well. The CEO is very interactive and she is very passionate about the non-kill shelter she started. I know the year is almost finished but if you continue your list for next year , hope you achieve your goals and more.