Remember to Give Back to Pets In Need

It often feels better to give than to receive over the holidays and there are many pets who need some special attention.

#GivingTuesday kicks off November 29th, 2016 beginning a global giving back and volunteering movement in which organizations and individuals have the opportunity to support their favorite charity. Today we round up some of some great initiatives that are helping dogs celebrate the holidays. Please add any more you see in the comments.

THS is Giving Hope for the Holidays to Pets in Need

The Toronto Humane Society’s “Hope for the Holidays” campaign will get a kick start on Giving Tuesday with a new Pen Pals for Pets initiative.  Young animal advocates have been asked to write letters to some of the pets at the shelter that have had a longer than usual stay. The letters will be focused on positive messages about getting a second chance at love as students have been eager to offer the animals Hope for the Holidays.   

Bringing Kids Into The Shelter

Class groups will also be able to visit the shelter for a behind the scenes tour throughout the day on Giving Tuesday. A selected group of students will also have the chance to read their letter to their pen pal pet out loud.  To help these animals get adopted faster, all of the letters written for the Pen Pals for Pets initiative will be displayed outside the room where the animals reside. This will encourage members of the public to read them before entering, giving them more attention from potential adopters.  

We love that the campaign works to bring attention to rescues while working alongside the younger generation of animal welfare advocates.  This creates the perfect opportunity to highlight the importance of giving back to your community and to note that charitable giving can come in many forms. 

The Toronto Humane Society has also launched a special website for Giving Tuesday to accept donations, you can also make a donation by simply texting SAVE to 20222 to donate $20 towards caring for animals in need.

In collaboration with The Humane Society of the United States, Sanrio will be offering limited edition tote bags, in-store events and more to benefit animals in need.

The limited edition tote bags will feature two of the company’s characters–Pompompurin and Chococat. A portion of each sale will go to The Humane Society to benefit animals in need. Get your tote bag on Nov. 29, at select Sanrio stores, online and at Sanrio.com, as well as at Centinela Feed & Pet Supplies retail locations throughout the Los Angeles area.

Visit the Hello Kitty Café for an Exclusive Treat

Henry Says Hello

Read our review of this great kids book here.

Rumplepimple

Photographs and Videos

12 Easy Ways to Support Rescues this Holiday

• Shop Smart– Check out DogforDog, AdoptAShelter, PetSmart Charities,  Auction4PetSupplies and various individual books or items you can buy for charity.
• Volunteer, take great photos of rescues like our friends Sadie ( Sarah Parker) and Trish of Pawesome Pet Photography and CCRT (beautiful photos can really help a dog’s chance of getting adopted), , write letters (check out the Ruby’s Legacy Campaign against Puppy Mills), foster, donate extra food or other items you may not need, get PR.
• Sell – Create or find things to sell with proceeds going to an animal rescue or charity of your choice. Sell photos, food, buttons, cookies, treats, books, calendars, t-shirts, toys and other merchandise online or at events eg  Norbert and Lil’ Bub, Mattie Dog, Pug-A-Lug, Igor, Shelter Pets, Talent Hounds (we sold a few items and cookies last week to donate). Hold a Raffle, a bake sale, a silent auction or garage sale.
• Events – If you work with a Rescue- help them to attend and take tables or booths at subsidized or free events and adoption drives like Dog Lovers Days, Canadian Pet Expo, Woofstock, Pawlooza or Rescue Me at Purina PawsWay to build awareness, educate and fundraise. Most of these events donate a portion of their revenue to rescues.
• Go for a Walk! There are free apps out there designed for you to enter your daily dog walk information to then have that data converted to money donated to an animal rescue of your choice. Check out WoofTracks for an example.
• Hold a fundraising event like our friend Carol at Fidose of Reality  and the Wigglebutt Warriors  (we hope to attend), Wienerfest (we attend), Pug-A-Lug Pugoween and Pugentine Parties (we also attend), Carwashes, Walks, Golf,  Fashion Shows, Talent Shows or Trick contests, Parades, Picnics, Dinners, Movie Screenings
• Promotion and Influence– If you can not hold an event, attend one and use your influence to attract other people or to promote an event or cause. Crusoe the Instagram Star and Obie the Biggest Loser have each supported Wienerfest.
• Create a sharable YouTube Video or other content. You can build awareness for your cause and ask for donations like Hope for Paws or The Driving Dogs video for the SPCA in New Zealand. You can also donate the revenue from ads on YouTube like we often do.
• Use Marketing, and donate an amount for each new subscriber or for new likes or comments or shares on social media or on your blog rather than spending on ads yourself.
• Work with a brand to do a campaign where they donate for likes or for a specific action like the recent #SWYM2016 campaign where Purina donated for social media mentions. Please share any you know of in comments.
• Get a brand or business to sponsor a rescue or shelter with cash, food, supplies, treats , toys etc.. Bullwrinkles and Purina have both been extremely generous in our experience.
• Partner with local pet stores or other retailers to distribute information, hold adoption drives, collect donations. We love the RuffTail Runners, a  partnership that pairs dogs from Austin Pets Alive!

Read More: Fundraising for Animal Rescues and Shelters

How Are You Giving Back This Holiday Season?