What You Can Do To Support Your local Animal Sanctuary This Winter
After the past couple of years, many businesses and charities will no doubt have had their fair share of struggles. This is especially true for animal sanctuaries. During the pandemic, the demand for pets boomed – but now people are back to work, and have realised they cannot look after their new pets, sadly shelters and sanctuaries are more crowded than ever before. So, this winter, why not consider supporting the animal sanctuary in your local area? Here are a few ways in which you can do so.
Donate Money
Animal sanctuaries and rescue centres desperately need financial support. No matter how much you can afford to donate – be it a one off, monthly payment, or yearly subscription – every little bit helps to keep the sanctuary running. The money you donate will go towards feeding the animals, keeping them warm and sheltered over the winter, and arguably most importantly this year, will help to pay skyrocketing business utility bills.
Sponsor an Animal
Another way to support animal sanctuaries financially is to sponsor one of the residents. Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is just one of the many animal sanctuaries that allow you this option. Simply sign up to pay a yearly subscription, and all of the donated money will go towards the animal of your choice. This is a great gift idea- more about htis later! In exchange for your generosity, you will likely receive regular updates on the animal’s wellbeing, a certificate of sponsorship, and even a few other goodies just to say ‘thank you’. You may choose to adopt an animal also.
Give a Donation or Sponsorship as a Christmas Gift
Donating money or sponsoring an animal doesn’t just have to be something you do for yourself. These can make wonderful Christmas presents for animal lovers; it’s a meaningful gift that keeps on giving all year round. It is a great way to encourage children to care for their local area and is a great eco gift too as it gives back to the community rather than adding more toys to landfill.
Make a Visit
Some animal sanctuaries also house a visitor’s centre or café, allowing you to visit the rescued animals themselves. If you do decide to visit, make sure to donate on the door if it is free to enter, or buy a cup of coffee before you leave.
Volunteer Your Time
If you are unable to make a financial contribution to your local animal sanctuary, don’t worry! There are still a couple of ways in which you can support their operations. One of these is to donate your time. Set a couple of hours aside each week, perhaps on a weekend, for example, and apply to the sanctuary to become a volunteer.
Winter is when sanctuaries are often at their busiest, so it’s likely that most sanctuaries will be looking to take on a wide range of volunteers, covering a wide range of voluntary roles. Even if you don’t know much about animals, you might apply to work front of house, in the cafe, or behind the scenes keeping accounts.
Look Into Whether Your Local Animal Sanctuary is Looking For Donated Goods
Another way that you can support animal sanctuaries without donating money is to donate things you don’t use anymore. Firstly, take a look at what your local animal sanctuary accepts as donations. Some might accept all kinds of things – from jewellery to clothes to books – anything that is in good enough condition that they can sell to raise money. Others might prefer things like newspaper, scraps of fabric, or old (but clean) towels and blankets that can be repurposed for the animals.
Attend (or Participate in) Fundraising Events
If your local animal sanctuary is hosting any fundraising events, pop along to show your support. Even just showing your support can be a huge benefit to the sanctuary, no matter how much you can afford to spend at the event itself.
You might also consider participating in fundraising activities yourself. There are many things that you can do as a group or individual to raise money for a local animal sanctuary, ranging from a charity run to a sponsored silence.
Like, Comment, and Share Their Posts on Social Media
In the digital age, social media is one of the most effective ways to raise awareness of a certain cause and widen one’s reach. However, in order to do so, businesses and non-profits alike need people to interact with their posts. Thus, one of the easiest ways to support your local animal sanctuary is to follow them across all social media platforms, and make sure to like their posts, regularly comment, and share those that really speak to you.
Continue Your Support Throughout the Year
And finally, but most importantly, don’t limit your support to the winter alone. As the old adage goes, it’s not just for Christmas – so don’t stop contributing once the ‘season of giving’ is over.
With these ideas and tips in mind, you are sure to find ways in which you can personally support your local animal sanctuary, no matter your budget, schedule, or skill set. Thank you for reading.