Search Results for: blog starting a shelter money stuff

Holiday Help for Animal Shelters

Let’s face it: most animal shelters need help throughout the year in the form of volunteers, monetary donations, and donations of food and other items for the residents. But the holidays are a great time to offer a little extra help to your favorite shelter! If you’re the sort of person who buys holiday gifts for your furry, feathered, and scaly family members, you might want to think about picking up an extra something and bringing it to your local shelter. Food, treats, and toys are always welcome. Your local shelter may also keep a list of specifics they need … Continue reading →

Starting A No-Kill Shelter

Posted on by

One major decision you’ll have to make if you are starting a shelter is this: do you want to be a no-kill shelter? What does it mean to be a no-kill shelter? It means that you are not putting a time limit on the animals’ stays. It means you will not euthanize animals to free up space. It means you may be housing animals for months or years before they find a home. You may even be responsible for some animals until they pass away. Here are some issues to consider: Finances. Caring for an animal for a year will … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for May 28-Jun 3

Submitted once again for your reading pleasure is the Pets Blog Week in Review. As usual, it’s your one stop shop to find the articles Aimee and myself covered from May 28 to June 3. Monday, May 28 Sometimes dogs and cats (especially puppies and kittens) get curious and stick their heads in places they can’t easily get back out of. Pet First Aid: When His Head Gets Stuck addresses how to help them get unstuck. Tuesday, May 29 (Um, this next one was supposed to get posted on Monday, for Memorial Day, but I goofed on getting it submitted … Continue reading →

Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month Starts Today: How to Participate

June is known in some circles as Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month, which was started by American Humane. I suspected June was probably selected because right about now shelters are overflowing with kittens. (I based this assumption on my personal experiences with Tabby –first finding her and then finding out she was pregnant.) I was right. Out of the millions of cats who enter shelters each year, only about one in four are adopted into loving homes. In fact, most of them –more than 70 percent of them– must be euthanized. ~Statement from American Humane Yikes! That statistic breaks my heart. (I … Continue reading →

Starting A Shelter: Money Stuff

Posted on by

If you’re going to run a shelter, you’re going to need money. Lots of money. Money for the land and building your animals use. Money for dog food and cat chow. Money for advertising your shelter so your resident animals can find homes. Money for veterinary services, grooming, and training. Get the picture? The best thing you can do is find a pet-loving accountant and/or bookkeeper to help you set up an accounting system. You need to document income and expenses — and in categories that make sense for when you’ll be doing this on your own. Otherwise, you’ll be … Continue reading →

The Ugly Kitty

A crafty friend of mine asked if I’d heard of The Ugly Kitty. I hadn’t, but with a name like that I had to track this shop down. I sat down (virtually) with Renee and asked her about her business, her pets, and her favorite causes. Aimee: Let’s start with the pets in your family. Renee: Keiko (aka NormalKitty) is a sweet but whiny short-haired charcoal kitty my friends found as a stray. She’s been part of our family for about 3 years. Quasi (aka UglyKitty) is the star of the show. Due to a cleft pallet, she has a … Continue reading →

The Homeschoolers’ Advent Calendar: Community Service

I’m one of those people who believes strongly that before people should graduate from high school they should be required to do community service hours. I believe this so strongly that in our household, community service begins in kindergarten. My son is required to do two ‘projects’ a year (he is in kindergarten) and my daughter does something every other month–she is in second grade. Why Community Service? We do community service because it is a tangible way to teach compassion and empathy and thankfulness. One of my daughter’s first Christmas projects was to bring food to a homeless shelter. … Continue reading →

Handling the Holidays as a Single Parent

After going through a divorce, the holidays can be sad, frustrating, and lonely. Then if you have children, you know you need to make the holidays festive and fun but you feel as if a huge burden has been placed on your shoulders. After all, how can you act happy when you feel so sad? Dealing with the holidays as a newly single parent can be challenging and to help you get through it with flying colors, I have provided you with some helpful tips. The most important thing is to stop comparing the holidays as a whole family to … Continue reading →