As you are well aware, Martin Luther King, Jr. did much to help others and bring about attention to the rights that our fellow men and women deserve. Each year, people across the U.S. honor his legacy by volunteering and helping others on MLK day. This January 21st, we suggest you consider about using this day to volunteer and support animals in your local community.
To help you figure out the best way to honor a legacy of volunteering and find a way for you to contribute, we’ve pulled together a list of a few things you can do for local shelters. But before you jump in, check with the shelter to see if they need the items or services you want to donate too.
- Volunteer to help out at your local shelter: Sounds obvious, but there are so many ways you can volunteer to help them out, including…
- Laundry duty – Those beds, towels and blankets don’t wash themselves.
- Feeding – Help out during feeding time and get those food bowls and water dishes filled and ready to be placed.
- Cleaning pans and litter boxes – Not the most glamorous thing, but a major necessity and definitely appreciated.
- Play time – Yes, many shelters need people to come in and cuddle, dote on and run around with dogs and cats alike. The animals need shelter and regular interaction!
- Washing the dog runs – For shelters that have dog run kennels, those need to be hosed and scrubbed regularly.
- Donate to your local shelter:
- Money – Always the obvious first choice, but not the only option.
- Old towels and blankets – Shelters run through these quickly and always need more. Clean out your linen closet and take your second-hand linens to some animals who will appreciate their new warm beds.
- Make pet beds – Are you crafty? Why not use that talent to stitch together pet beds or no-sew blankets that you can take and donate?
- Donate your services – If you are a gifted photographer, offer to photograph the animals to share on social media and their website. If you are in marketing, offer to help come up with strategies to get the word out about the wonderful pets available for adoption. If you are in accounting or operations, lend them your services to help make sure everything balances and things are running smoothly. Donate the use of your vehicle and pick up needed supplies or even chauffeur animals as needed.
As you can see, there are all sorts of ways you can help out at your local shelter or animal rescue group this MLK day. And your help doesn’t have to end with just one day. Who knows, you may discover you have a knack for helping out our furry friends. Reach out today and find ways you can help on January 21st and beyond!
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