How You Can Help Your Local Animal Community

If you’re an animal lover, you’ve probably had your heart tugged by something about animals in the news or on social media this week. Whether it’s pets being flown out of Afghanistan, dogs roaming the streets after a natural disaster, or the latest news of a rescue operation at the home of a pet hoarder, there are always stories about animals in peril. What can you do? Working with organizations already in place, you can easily find a way to help animals in your local community.

• Make a donation. Monetary donations make it possible for animal shelters to continue doing the important work they do every day. You can donate directly to the organization or look for a wish list and purchase necessary supplies. If you’re short on cash, you can sometimes donate goods. Many shelters welcome donations of things like old towels, to help make more comfortable beds for the animals. Check with your local shelter before gathering a donation, so that you can determine what’s needed.
• Volunteer your time. A quick internet search will help you find volunteer opportunities in your community. You might be able to walk dogs at a local shelter, clean cages at an adoption event, or help socialize frightened animals. Maybe there’s a need in your community for people to help trap, neuter, and release animals. If you’ve got specific skills to offer, like carpentry, book-keeping, marketing, website development, or grant writing, let the organization know you’re available to help. Even sewing skills can sometimes come in handy- just ask what’s needed and someone will certainly put you to work!
• Put your social media skills to work. Like or follow local shelters and rescue group and share their posts on your pages. Give them a shout out to express your gratitude and follow their happenings to learn how you can get involved.
• Foster. Opening your home to foster pets can be a very rewarding experience. Foster homes help socialize pets while they wait for their forever families, and free up shelter space to accommodate more animals.
• Adopt a pet. If you’re ready to add a pet to your family, check the local shelters rather than purchasing a pet.

At Reed Animal Hospital, we’re connected to our community, and help wherever we can. We sponsor Chamber of Commerce events, speak at schools, support career days, and donate to many different charities. We also partner with animal rescue organizations and spay and neuter programs. When you trust us with your animals, we treat your pets as if they were our own. Our goal is to help you and your pet enjoy a healthy, fulfilling life together, so our extraordinary team offers a wide range of services. We’ve got veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and receptionists, all prepared to help you and your pet, and we even offer referrals to specialty surgeons, many of whom will travel to our office to consult with you. For more information or to make an appointment, call us in Campbell at 408-369-1788, or in Saratoga at 408-647-2906.