Action Tips: Encourage Pet Adoption

Four million dogs and cats are put down every year for being homeless. What the what? Here are some ways to encourage pet adoption that will reduce the number of animals that end up in shelters for good.

• Work with your local animal shelter to organize a pet adoption open house.
• Create a public service announcement (PSA) and show it at your school/organization.
• Find animal activists and animal rights speakers to share their stories at a pet-related event.
• Start a club or organization to advocate for animals shelters in your area.
• Organize a pet fair to include animal themed shows and events to educate the public.
• Bake animal-shaped cookies and give them away with information on how to adopt a pet at your local shelter.
• Make creative and informational flyers to put around your neighborhood.
• Create a presentation of the homeless pets in your area to put on display at your local library.
• Go with a friend to volunteer at a nearby shelter– just seeing those furry faces is encouragement enough.
• Auction off a pet-themed basket with a picture and biography of a pet at your local shelter.
• Start your own blog about the pets at your local shelter to share with your pet-seeking friends.

--Submitted by Field Reporter Whitney Marin

For more ways to do something around this issue, check out our Action Guides. GO