Caring for Shelter Pets

Their mission is to care for loving pets and find them good homes – but they need your help to do that. As Bollinger County’s only stray pet facility, volunteers face the challenge of providing shelter to pets as they work to find them homes with loving people in surrounding communities.

Here in Bollinger County, volunteers and staff see the results of irresponsible pet ownership and dog and cat overpopulation every day. Caring for those pets is a time-consuming, expensive labor of love that only a few have undertaken on a full-time basis.  As members of this community, we can help those dedicated individuals in a variety of ways – through donations of money, cleaning supplies, dog food, blankets and other needed items – but also by playing a conscious role in encouraging responsible pet ownership to friends, family and neighbors, as well as urging those looking for pets to consider adoption!

LOOKING TO LEND A HAND?

Are you cleaning house? If so, take a look around and see if you have anything to donate to a local animal shelter! Animal shelters thrive on donations, and not just monetary donations. Shelters often need items for the animals, but also items to keep the building clean. Here are just some household items that shelters can use, and you can donate.

Pillows – Some pillows are big enough to be used as pet beds, especially for small pets.

Hand sanitizer – This is needed to protect shelter workers and volunteers, as well as the public and potential adopters, safe from germs. It also prevents the spread of germs if someone is handling one animal and moves on to another.

Newspapers – This is often used for bedding for small animals, as litter (when shredded), or to line the floor with if pets have accidents.

Blankets, towels, and washcloths – These have many uses. Blankets keep pets warm and comfortable, and are sometimes used as beds. They are also used to swaddle scared pets. Towels and washcloths have many of the same uses as they do in the home.

Bleach – Bleach is often used in shelters to disinfect floors, walls, or fabrics.

Laundry detergent – This is self-explanatory, but shelters go through a lot of detergent as they wash beds and other linens used by animals.

Rubber gloves – These are handy for keeping animal handlers safe from germs, and for performing certain health checks. Rubber gloves also protect workers’ hands from harmful chemicals if they are using cleaners, like bleach.