Question
Not everyone can afford to give money to rescue organizations, but many might have supplies and equipment from prior pets that could be of use. Are there items that are often in short supply and might be very useful and valuable to rescue organizations?
Answer
My local animal shelter maintains a list of wanted items on its web site. (Perhaps yours does too!) Some themes from that list:
- new toys, collars, and litter pans
- durable equipment (not required to be new): leashes, beds, heating pads, nail clippers, pens, etc
- towels, blankets, and small rugs
- food (check with your shelter for any specific requests about flavor, brand, or form)
- pet-safe cleaning supplies
- newspapers
- electronics: cameras, printers, scanners, etc
Given a choice between donating money and using that money to buy something else to donate, I always donate the money -- I assume that they can get better bulk discounts on things like food than I can so the money will go farther. But if I already had something that I couldn't use, I would check whether the shelter would take it.
Answered By - Monica Cellio