GlobalShift

Help the Animals this Holiday Season

The animals in our lives can’t write up wish lists, and endangered animals around the world can’t tell Santa to help their species survive, but especially in the holiday season we can donate a little extra time and money to help the animals who can’t ask for it themselves. Here are some ideas of what you can give to the animals this year.

Volunteer or donate to your local animal shelter: Helping to socialize the animals at an animal shelter is a big help for the shelter staff and the animals, and it does you a whole lot of good too. Playing with the cats and dogs at a shelter makes them better adapted to humans and more likely to be adopted, as well as assisting the shelter by giving them your time and not taking it away from a paid employee. An hour or so a week of playing with the friendly and cuddly animals you’ll spend time with can lift your spirits as well. Socializing animals isn’t the only way to volunteer, however. You could foster an animal, help walk shelter dogs, volunteer as an adoption counselor or transport animals. Or, if you’re allergic to animals, you could help behind the scenes at the shelter by offering office help. Donating to a shelter is another great way to help the homeless animals, especially if you don’t have the time to volunteer.

Ask for donations instead of presents: I’ve heard many stories of children who, instead of asking their friends and family for presents for their birthday or Christmas, requested that they donate to a charitable cause instead. It seems like adults are much less likely to give up a gift or two to help the animals or another cause that they care about, but this can change. Ask a friend to adopt an animal for you or donate to an animal shelter in your name.

Adopt an animal: Adopting a pet from a shelter is a good idea if you’re ready for it and prepared to own an animal, but if you’re not, you can symbolically “adopt” and endangered animal. Depending on the organization you adopt through, it can mean different things, but generally, you donate money to a specific animal and get things like a picture and information about that animal to keep. The World Wildlife Foundation offers adoptions of 100 different species, from polar bears to manatees.

Think before you give a pet as a present: Getting a puppy for your children or a friend’s family might sound like the perfect idea, but are they really ready for the responsibility? Many animals end up on the streets when their owners can’t take care of them, and being unprepared to get a pet for Christmas is a sure way for that to happen. If you’re planning on getting a pet as a gift for anyone, make sure you discuss it with that person thoroughly first. If you want to get your kids a pet, make sure you’re prepared to take care of it if they’re not. A surprise pet may be an exciting gift on Christmas morning, but realize that, a few months from now, that pet could end up neglected or in a shelter. In most cases, it’s probably best to avoid getting anyone a pet as a gift in general.