Despite the improvements that have been made in recent years with regards to controlling the pet population, animal shelters are still being overrun with stray animals, a problem which is compounded by the fact they are dependent on volunteers in order for them to run properly.

Adam Rosenfeld Miami has been actively involved with local sanctuaries in the Miami area despite his busy schedule as a top financial advisor; if he can set aside an hour or two each week, surely there is a way you can help local strays.

In this article, we will share some unorthodox yet easy ways you can make a difference in the lives of cute animals in your community.

Spread the word about the residents

Overcrowding is the biggest problem facing most shelters. With stray pets being a persistent problem in North America, there are new arrivals brought in all the time, putting the caretakers to some heart-wrenching decisions when it comes to deciding which animals to keep.

Thankfully, the internet age has made it easy to spread the word. Use your social media accounts to share pictures of cats, dogs, and other pets that have been found, so that they will either be reunited with their owners, or be matched up with a new forever home.

Spend time with the animals

Pets are often thought of as members of our families, so if shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that they need volunteers to keep them company until they find a home/get to go home.

As such, one of the biggest needs that shelters have is for people to come by and take their canine guests for a walk. More sedentary pets, like cats and rabbits, also enjoy having a human that will stroke and play with them. If you don’t think you have skills, you can at least offer your love.

Help transport them to vet appointments

Often, animal shelters are not equipped to offer their residents medical treatment or checkups. As a result, transportation of sick and injured pets to animal hospitals is another valuable service that volunteers can provide these organizations.

Donate needed supplies to the shelters

Since animal shelters aren’t profit generating entities, they rely on donations in order to buy the supplies they need to function properly.

If you have the means, a cash donation or bringing needed supplies such as pet food, toys, or other pet supplies will be greatly appreciated.

Spay/neuter your pet

In the long run, the world would be better off if we didn’t have any pets to rescue, as they would all be at home. Unfortunately, many go missing every year, making these volunteer organizations necessary.

However, there is one thing we can do to prevent added strain from making the jobs of these selfless workers harder than they have to be: spaying or neutering our pets.

As cruel as that sounds, uncontrolled breeding by pets that have run away from home have caused populations to explode, with over 70 million cats living in the wilds of North America alone.

By performing this simple procedure, you can do your part to reduce the strain on animal control services.