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The holiday season is the best time to give back to animal shelters. It is a busy time of year, and animal shelters usually already have pretty low budgets. They are always in 

If you cannot do anything that requires money, you can always Donate your time. Volunteering is always a great way to do to show the animals some human affection. Shelters are always in need of volunteers, so don’t hesitate to ask if you can Donate your time at one near you.

There are all kinds of ways that you can help out your local animal shelters. They take in all kinds of donations and anything that you can contribute will help the shelter to continue to care for the animals that live there.

If you want to give back to animal shelters this holiday season, here are some things that you can do to help.

Make sure to always call ahead and ask what they need so that you can do the most good by actually donating what they currently are lacking.

Donate Food and Treats

If you want to give back to animal shelters, food is always the best and easiest option. Shelters are always in need of food and treats. Many shelters are on a limited budget, so they can only buy the necessities. By donating food and treats, you are making it much easier for them to spread their funds around and put that money to other uses within the shelter.

It is always best to call ahead first to let the shelter so they can let you know about any preferences or special needs that they currently have. Many shelters, for instance, cannot afford high-quality pet food, so you could Donate good brands of food for the animals to enjoy.

Donate Necessities

Basic necessities are always needed in animal shelters. This includes blankets, beds, leashes, cat litter, etc. These are great things to Donate if you don’t have enough money to Donate food or if your animal shelter doesn’t need food.

These necessities will go a long way in helping to give back to animal shelters, freeing up their budget for other, more niche items that they may need.

Bring Gifts for the Animals

If you want to give back to animal shelters during the holidays, one way that you can do that is to give special gifts for the animals to enjoy. Living in a shelter can get boring, so toys are always welcome for cats and dogs.

No matter how nice the shelter is, animals can often get quite sad and lonely while at the shelter. They do not have families and can sometimes be up for adoption for years.

You can donate toys to keep them busy, special blankets and beds to help them stay warm and cozy, and even dog bones. This is a great way to give back to animal shelters and bring some happiness into the lives of the animals that live there.

You could even call ahead of time to ask what kinds of toys are enjoyed the most or whether or not any extra cat trees are needed.

Donate a Free Meal or Treats to Staff

One amazing way to give back to animal shelters during the holidays is to treat the shelter staff to a free meal. You can make an online order at a restaurant and have a spread sent over for the staff to enjoy during their workday. You could also quickly stop by to drop off vegan Christmas treats!

This is a great way to send a thank you to all of the people working tirelessly to take care of these homeless animals. 

Many animal shelter staff go above and beyond to take care of the animals there. Oftentimes they become fosters and take animals home with them. Their hard work deserves a thank you, so this is a great way to let them know that you appreciate their hard work.

Encourage Adoptions

Another more subtle way that you can lend a helping hand to your local animal shelters is to encourage adoptions whenever you get the chance.

Giving pets as gifts for Christmas is usually a bad idea. Pet owners should make the decision for themselves and be ready to take on all of the responsibility that comes with adopting a pet. However, if someone is set on gifting a pet as they know that the recipient is excited, willing, and able to care for one, or they can take on the responsibility themself, then encourage them to adopt from a shelter. Unfortunately, many people will buy pets from a breeder and might not even consider going to an animal shelter until someone brings it up.

If you can encourage more pet adoptions, this is probably the biggest way that you can help animal shelters. What they need most of all is people willing to adopt. Without adoptions, they cannot bring in more animals that need care.

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