7 Awesome Pet-Related Organizations to Give Back To This Holiday Season

Between 5 and 10 percent of people experiencing homelessness in the United States have pets, and this number can be even higher in some areas of the country. The majority of homeless shelters do not allow pets, so many people are forced to choose between a bed for the night and the companionship of their best friend. People experiencing homelessness find safety and comfort in their pets, but can struggle to obtain necessities like food and veterinary care. That's where Feeding Pets of the Homeless comes in, with a number of programs benefiting unhoused individuals and the pets they love across the country. This organization offers free pet food; emergency veterinary care; and free veterinary wellness clinics for services like exams, vaccinations, nail trims, and medication.

​How to Donate​

You can make a one-time or recurring monetary donation in any amount by visiting their donation form, with the option to give a donation as a gift as well. If you're not able to give a monetary donation but still want to contribute to the organization, they've put together a great list of other ways to help like volunteering, fundraising, and hosting pet food drives in your community.

Another fantastic organization working to assist people and their pets, UnderDog Community Project provides free veterinary services, medical care, and pet food to unhoused and low-income individuals in Los Angeles, California. This is a great donation option for supporting services and resources that benefit people in a specific area. Small, local organizations can often get overlooked when it comes to donations in favor of bigger names, and a donation to a smaller group makes a huge impact.

​How to Donate​

UnderDog Community Project has an ongoing fundraiser on GoFundMe. Donations will go directly towards distributing pet food, vaccinations, and medical care to pets and people in need.

If you've ever been fortunate enough to love a senior dog, you know just how special they are. Older dogs have so much love to give, but sadly are adopted at much lower rates than younger dogs and spend more time in shelters and rescues. The Grey Muzzle Organization provides support for senior pups by distributing grants to welfare organizations and rescue groups all across the country. These funds go to medical and dental care, beds, hospice programs, Senior-for-Senior adoption programs (which help senior citizens adopt senior dogs), and many other resources to support our gray-faced friends.

​How to Donate​

The Grey Muzzle Organization's ways to donate page gives a variety of options for donations. Whether you choose a one-time or recurring monetary donation or a cozy orthopedic bed, you'll be helping to improve the lives of senior dogs far and wide.

A service dog can make an enormous change in the life of a person with a disability, but obtaining a service dog is notoriously difficult and prohibitively expensive. Atlas Assistance Dogs is working to change that by expanding access to assistance dogs, as well as helping people train and certify their own service dogs. In addition, they are addressing the lack of qualified service dog trainers by offering a specialized training program to experienced dog trainers.

​How to Donate​

Atlas lists many options on their donation page. Use their online form, send a text message, or set the organization as your preferred charity on Amazon or eBay to donate a percentage of each purchase.

It's an unfortunate reality that natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes can have devastating consequences on large animals like horses, as evacuation can be difficult. Thankfully, Fleet of Angels helps provide a lifeline to our equine friends in emergencies. This organization is based in Lakewood, Colorado and provides resources across the country. They partner with a number of non-profits to provide transportation, evacuation, and search and rescue missions to horses, mules, and donkeys. They also assist with hay, fence repair, foster care, and more for horse owners who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

​How to Donate​

Fleet of Angels accepts monetary donations via PayPal, credit/debit card, or check. You can also sign up to donate hay and supplies, and the organization will add your name to their database and pair you with a local equine owner in need.

The Lanai Cat Sanctuary on the Hawaiian island of Lanai is truly a kitty paradise. 600 formerly feral cats call this sanctuary home, where they have acres of land to play. This island of just 3,000 people was once teeming with stray cats, but had no animal shelter, rescue group, or veterinarian. Lanai Cat Sanctuary now provides a home, food, and veterinary care to its feline residents. This organization rescues cats from areas where native and endangered birds make their homes, thus protecting them from predation by cats.

​How to Donate​

You can give a monetary donation directly to the organization through their donation form, sponsor a cat, or choose specific items to gift from their wishlist.

The Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary in St. Pauls, North Carolina, offers a safe home for blind cats who have been deemed "not adoptable" by animal shelters and are in danger of being euthanized. The sanctuary also cares for cats with feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. They currently care for over 70 cats and have rescued thousands since opening their doors.

​How to Donate​

The Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary offers many ways to contribute. You can give funds directly through their donation page, sponsor a cat, or choose items from their wishlist.

​What's your favorite pet-related cause? Share it with us on our Facebook!​