Starting A Shelter: Getting the Community Involvedby Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 26 May 2007 02:45 PM Unless you have limitless financial resources and can do all the work yourself (trust me, you can't!) your shelter is going to need community support. So how do you do it? Publicity is key. If no one knows about your shelter, no one can help you.
- Start a mailing list. Include your animal-loving friends and family. Ask your volunteers, workers, and board of directors for names and addresses, too! Keep a sign-up sheet available at your shelter and at all events to keep that mailing list growing.
- Keep your website current. A website that is never updated isn't going to be very useful.
- Join Petfinder.com, Dogster.com, Catster.com, and other pet-related sites. Your site will start turning up in searches.
- Let everyone know about your meetings and events. Send a note to your mailing list. Ask your local newspaper, radio station, and television station about free community advertising.
- Ask local businesses if they'll keep a coin can at their checkouts -- the money will benefit your shelter, but the exposure may benefit you even more.
- Posters are an affordable way to get your message out. Ask local businesses if they'll let you hang your posters. Team up with pet-oriented businesses like groomers, trainers, and pet stores for the best exposure, but don't forget that pet lovers come from all walks of life and all sorts of businesses!
- Think about events like a groundbreaking ceremony when you start construction of your shelter and a grand opening when you're finally ready. Offer tours of your facility. Hold a public meeting to talk about your goals and policies. Provide educational and informational handouts for your guests.
- Be active in looking for volunteers. Visit local high schools and colleges and participate in community events like street fairs and carnivals.
There are many places where the community can help out. Not everyone will want to be a dog walker, a cat petter, or a kennel cleaner. Some people can prepare and distribute flyers, or manage donated supplies, or answer phones, or perform home visits for potential adopters. Not everyone will be suited for every job. You (or a volunteer coordinator you designate) will be responsible for carefully training your volunteers and making sure they are following your shelter's policies. Your shelter is responsible for the safety of volunteers and animals alike.
animals, animal shelters, animal rescue, shelter, spca, starting a shelter, volunteer
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