A Few Methods to Assist Homeless Dogs This Christmas Season

This Christmas season would be great time to help out homeless pets. Since the increase of people losing their jobs, home foreclosures, and the poor economy, many of the animal shelters are completely full with homeless pets. These shelters could sure use our donations, especially this time of the year.

Here are some methods every one of us could do to help out and you can even get your children to help too.

1. Team with churches, schools and programs in the area to set up pet food banks. Maybe your children's school would allow you to set up a food bank there. People can donate pet food and treats that can then be donated to shelters. Check with programs such as Meals on Wheels to see if they would go along with a program to donate the food and treats to their recipient's pets. The people that receive these meals could probably use the help for their pets.

2. Sponsor a pet at one of the local shelters. Perhaps you could contact your children's school and see if they would help with a "Sponsor a Pet" project. They could put up a Christmas tree and hang photos of shelter pets on the branches of the tree. A note could be written on the back describing the pet. Set an amount to sponsor each pet and about a week before Christmas, collect all the donations and take to your local animal shelter.

3. Get a bunch of pet loving friends together and all go to Wal-Mart or the pet shop and pick up dog food, dog treats, small blankets and towels. Household cleaning items such as laundry soap, paper towels, bleach and dish soap are always needed at pet shelters.

4. Have a book sale at a church, library or school and then donate the money earned to the shelters. Check with local discount stores and bookstores to see if they could donate books of any kind for the cause.

5. Another idea is to get together that group of animal loving friends and volunteer at the local animal shelter. They always can use help with cleaning cages, answering telephones, socializing with the pets, and community outreach. Even an hour a week can make a gigantic difference in a shelter animal's life.

6. If you have the space in your family and in your heart, adopt a homeless dog from an animal shelter or rescue. If you think it would be a great idea to give a new puppy or dog for a gift, please be sure and let the recipient know ahead of time to make sure they WANT the new pet, can afford to keep it, and have room for it. We do not need any more unwanted pets.

There are many low cost ways to keep our homeless furry friends in our activities to help ease the burden on our shelters and rescues. Do not forget our furry friends that do not have homes like ours during this holiday season. All of the shelters and rescues greatly need our help and it is a great way to give back to the community.