Animal agencies can use your help
Cathy M. Rosenthal/For the Express-News : December 15, 2011 : Updated: December 19, 2011 1:16am
You love animals and are the first one to donate food, towels, litter and other items to the animal shelter. Thank goodness for you. Shelters and spay/neuter clinics couldn't get by without your generosity.
But don't forget, animal agencies also need financial help.
Running an animal shelter or spay/neuter clinic can be tough in uncertain times. Sometimes giving to animal groups is not seen as essential when there is so much need for people. But donations are definitely needed for pets, especially if we expect these groups to sterilize dogs and cats, find homes for homeless pets and help address our community's pet population problems.
So here are a few ways to help pets and cross a few names off your holiday shopping list, too.
Donate to an animal shelter, spay/neuter clinic, or other not-for-profit animal group. Donations of any amount can help and it all adds up. Your gift is often tax-deductible, too.
Donate to an animal agency in someone's name. Know a few family members who simply don't need any more gadgets, scarves or gift cards? I do. Why not give a gift to an animal agency in their name? Ask the agency if they will send an acknowledgement card to the recipient before the holidays.
Donate in a pet's name. Show pets are part of the family by honoring your pets or someone else's pets, past or present. Some organization's have gift bricks where names and sentiments can be engraved and then added to a sidewalk or wall. Other agencies allow for online donations that will get your pet or person featured on their website. Check with your favorite organization for more information.
Donate to spay/neuter clinics. SpaySA, SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program) SNIPSA are often overlooked during the holidays. These organizations provide an invaluable service to our community, sterilizing about 25,000 pets annually. Show them some love.
Sponsor something. Care about the overpopulation of pets in our community? Sponsor a dog or cat sterilization at a local clinic.
Shop where your money can help homeless pets. Why do holiday gifts have to be new? Check out the Animal Defense League's (ADL) thrift store, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for eclectic gift ideas for family and friends. (They accept donations for the shop too.) ADL also operates a retail store with lots of new items for pets. The San Antonio Humane Society (SAHS) offers some pet items in its lobby, especially fleece pet beds made and donated by a local volunteer. SAHS also has an online pet store where a portion of every purchase is donated to the animal shelter.
Donate gift certificates. If you receive a gift card for a department store during the holidays and don't think you will use it, donate it to a local animal group. They can use it to purchase pet and business supplies.
Holiday gift giving should be about the things we care about the most — family, friends and the causes we believe in. Remember animal groups in your gift giving this holiday season.