Helping Shelters–With Holiday Parties

It’s the season for holiday parties–ones that can help benefit animals in your local community. Whether you’re planning an office party, a school party, or a holiday party in your home, here are some tips for sharing the fun with needy animals in shelters:

• Consider a dog food drive, dog toy drive, etc. Each guest brings pet food, toys, bedding, etc. to your party, all collected for your local shelter. (Isn’t this better than receiving yet another hostess gift you don’t really need?)

• In lieu of gift exchanges, consider donations in the name of your office or social group to your local shelter.

• Consider a donation jar at your party to raise money for Kuranda dog and cat beds to keep animals off cold concrete shelter floors during the winter months. By donating through their program at http://kuranda.com/donate, your guests’ money will go about 30 percent further than just buying beds and donating them. You’ll be able to specify which shelter will receive your donated beds.

• Call your local shelter and ask about their holiday needs. Do they need canned dog food? Bedding? Cleaning supplies? Include a wish list in your holiday invitation and ask guests to bring them along.

• Ask yourself if your family really wants to do a gift exchange this holiday or if everyone would like to spend the money on a donation in the family’s name to a local shelter or rescue. Especially for adult families, removing the pressure of gift shopping from the holidays can be a real stress reliever and the good feeling you’ll receive from knowing you helped homeless animals will be a true gift to yourself!

Do you have some creative ideas for turning your holiday parties into events that can benefit local shelters and rescues? Please share them in the comments field below!

Photo: iStockPhoto.com

About Paris Permenter and John Bigley

DogTipper publishers Paris Permenter and John Bigley are a husband-wife team of full-time writers. The couple has authored over two dozen books and 2,500+ magazine articles.

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