Y’all know I’m all about saving the puppies! I’m teaming up with some other locals and Companion Animal Alliance this summer to spread the word about CAA and get others involved at the shelter so we can keep caring for and saving animals in Baton Rouge!
If you aren’t in the market to adopt an additional family member, there are still many ways you can help out your local animal shelter. So, until I can have my dream ranch with an unlimited amount of puppies on it (a girl can dream, right?!), these are five of the other ways WE can help Companion Animal Alliance.
IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN BATON ROUGE, YOU CAN STILL DO EACH OF THESE THINGS BY GETTING INVOLVED WITH YOUR LOCAL SHELTER!
I commonly hear, “I can’t go into the shelter…it just makes me so sad.”, “There’s no way I could see those dogs like that.”, “I would want to adopt them all if I went, so I better stay away.”, etc. Well, what you see in the shelter might be sad, but isn’t it more sad to think that you could help make a difference for these animals and our community and you aren’t? Isn’t it sad to think that in many circumstances humans have already failed these animals, and you are too sad to help them? Of course it is sad to see to this, but if we don’t see it, then how do we expect the situation to change?
1. VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are the heartbeat of every animal shelter and animal rescue in general. Without volunteers, it wouldn’t be possible to save as many animals as CAA currently does. The new shelter, located on LSU’s campus, has changed the game when it comes to how you can help out. It is centrally located in town, it’s easy to get to and is full of new amenities and ways to help. It doesn’t matter how much or how little time you have to volunteer or what you can do, because every minute and every task count.
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? YOU CAN FILL OUT THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION HERE.
Once you go through a quick orientation, you can volunteer in a variety of ways at the shelter, including CAA’s new program called “Date a Dog”. You can check out a pup for a fun day around town, or if your time is more limited, you can walk a pup around the dog park located at the shelter or for a quick walk around campus. This makes the dogs so happy to get out of the shelter, even if it is for just a brief period of time.
YOU CAN REGISTER FOR NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION HERE.
Whether volunteers want to work hands-on with the animals or prefer office jobs and yard work, it’s all important to CAA and it’s vital to keep the shelter running!
2. ATTEND EVENTS
Who doesn’t want to attend fun events around Baton Rouge while also helping animals in need at the same time?! This is literally the definition of a win-win situation. Companion Animal Alliance has a calendar full of events going on around the Capital City throughout the year that directly impact the shelter. These include the Cap City Beer Fest, Fur Ball, multiple Yappy Hours at the Bulldog and now the FURRY FUN RUN!
CHECK OUT CAA’s FACEBOOK PAGE AND THEIR CALENDAR TO FIND OUT ABOUT NEW EVENTS!
3. DONATE
Did you know that donating only $5/month gives treats to one dog for an ENTIRE MONTH? One of your monthly coffees can make a puppy happy and full for 30 days. CAA has a variety of ways to donate based on your budget. You can be a reoccurring donor at any price, a one-time donor and even pick certain areas at CAA to donate your funds.
BECOME A CAA MEMBER BY SIGNING UP HERE!
Of course the first thing that comes to mind when you hear ‘donating’ is money, but there are multiple other ways to donate to CAA! You can donate your time through volunteering, and you can donate household items to keep the pups comfortable and cut down on costs for the shelter. A couple of times a year, I pick up a bunch of $5 blankets at Walmart to donate. And, don’t throw away your old sheets and towels around the house, the shelter can put those to good use too!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VARIOUS WAYS YOU CAN DONATE TO CAA HERE!
Also, you can donate while making your regular amazon orders! While shopping on amazon, if you use this specific link to shop through AMAZON SMILE, a portion of your purchase is directly donated to CAA. Also, CAA has an AMAZON WISHLIST set up, so you can easily donate items without even leaving your house!
4. SHARE ON SOCIAL
Social media is a HUGE asset to animal shelters and rescue groups across the country and has definitely played a role in the rising success rates of saving animals. By sharing adoptable animals through various social media channels, there are more eyes on each animal and more people become connected.
I feature an adoptable CAA pup each week on my Instagram page, and so far, we have a 100% success rate of finding these animals their furever homes. Of course, this success isn’t only because of my posts, but the posts get shared to a whole new audience, others see these available animals and tell their friends who might be looking, and the reach of CAA directly grows.
FOLLOW CAA ON: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
Through this new campaign we are launching, we are not only spreading the word on social about adoptable animals, but we are also sharing how to get involved with the shelter if you can’t adopt. Social media is key to getting our message out to the public. It’s quick and easy to share an adoptable animal from any of CCA’s social pages on to your personal page. You never know when a connection could be made!
5. FOSTER
Without fosters, shelters wouldn’t be able to save as many animals as they currently do. In the South, especially, shelters can reach capacity fairly quickly, and the only way to continue bringing more needy animals in is for other animals to either leave the shelter due to adoption or fostering.
Fostering allows kennels to open up for other animals in need and is another vital piece to the success of a shelter. Fostering is a bigger commitment than my list above, but CAA will work with you depending on your schedule. You can even be a weekend foster if that’s all your schedule allows. Even a couple of days outside of the shelter is extremely beneficial for these animals.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FOSTERING PROCESS HERE!
I can’t tell you how great of a feeling it is knowing that not only are we working together to save the lives of animals in need, but we are also matching people with pets that will provide such wonderful lifelong relationships. I can’t imagine not coming home to my dogs each day, and I think everyone…and every dog…should have the opportunity to have a relationship this strong and important!
WANT TO LEARN EVEN MORE? My blogger friend Leslie is also joining me for this new campaign, and she gives you 11 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT COMPANION ANIMAL ALLIANCE over on her blog, Southern Flair.
PS | ALL of the pups featured in this post have been ADOPTED through Companion Animal Alliance!
