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Tag: animal-rescue

dog in santa costume walking outside

Dear Santa: We’ve Been Very Good This Year!

Dear Santa:

We’ve been really good this year. Our staff and volunteers have organized new distribution and drop-off locations, forged relationships with new partners in our state, and have worked hard to educate Coloradans about the importance of helping families keep their pets home and healthy in times of financial stress.

We’d like to share our Christmas Wish List with you in hopes you can spread the word, and maybe reach into your big red bag and help us meet our end-of-year goals!

Cash Donations

Nobody knows for sure, but we suspect Santa’s Workshop is a nonprofit, just like Colorado Pet Pantry. We’d love it if you’d tell your friends and family about us, and let folks how they can make tax-deductible donations online through our website or through PayPal.

Does your employer have a corporate donation matching program? Find out here! 

It costs $4 for the Colorado Pet Pantry to help feed a pet for a full month, and it helps lessen the burden on local animal shelters who state that re-homing a pet costs upwards of $500.

Amazon Wish List

We’ve heard rumors that you’ve got a T1 connection up in the North Pole, and that you’ve contracted with Amazon to help with your workload. We can’t blame you…outsourcing is a good thing! We have an Amazon Wish List for our packaging supplies, and we’re always grateful when patrons (and oversized elves) send us these much-needed items! The next time you log on to buy something special, please think of us. Cat food, dog food, toys, pet food drive containers, and other small items don’t add much to your shopping cart, but make a huge difference to us when we portion out meals for our canine and feline clientele.

Pet Food Donations

Next time you make a run to the feed store to pick up reindeer chow, we’d really appreciate it if you grabbed a few bags of quality, non-perishable dog or cat food for Colorado Pet Pantry. You can drop it off at any one of our collection sites, and while you’re there, you can do some last-minute shopping to thank the businesses who make room in both their locations and their hearts to help Colorado pets!

Is Mrs. Claus’ cantankerous cockapoo a picky eater? We’ll happily accept open bags of kibble, as long as you seal the bag and make sure the contents and reason for the bag are clearly noted with your donation.

We also accept non-perishable dog and cat treats!

Shop HoundAbout

Santa, we’ve got a tip just for you! If your elves are behind in production this year, or you want to add some variety to your Workshop’s product line, come shop on our HoundAbout page for high-quality gifts for all the pets on your “Good Dog/Good Cat” list. Colorado Pet Pantry receives 50% of the proceeds from every sale. With free shipping available for hundreds of items in our HoundAbout online store, you’ll save wear and tear on your reindeer!

Loan us some elves?

We’re always looking for help at our warehouse, events, pet food banks, and behind the scenes at Colorado Pet Pantry. Sign up to volunteer at a pet food bank or contact us for other opportunities such as helping in the warehouse, helping with events, picking up pet food donations, etc!

Other ways to help

  • Are you getting ready to upgrade that sleigh? Donate your old vehicle, whether it’s working or not. Contact us!
  • Help get the word out by distributing posters or flyers! Contact us!
  • Does your organization want to encourage a theme of giving this season? Organize a pet food drive! Contact us!
  • Open up a corner of your workshop for a donation station! Contact us!

Happy Holidays from Colorado Pet Pantry

We love giving as much as you do, Santa. We like to think that, like you, we make families’ lives more joyous. This Holiday season, we all have a lot to do to meet our goals. Any help you can give us will make a huge difference.

Stay warm, stay safe, and spread the word!

Sincerely,

The Colorado Pet Pantry Family

How to Reduce Homeless Pets

With roughly 7.6 million animals ending up in shelters every year, the task of reducing the number of homeless pets may seem daunting. However, there are many steps that you can take to help keep pets in secure homes with the families that love them. Below are eight great ways to reduce the number of homeless pets in your community.

1) Support your local pet food bank.

Supporting your local pet food bank will help keep pets with the families who love them. There are multiple ways that you can offer support, including the following:

  • Make a cash donation
  • Volunteer your time
  • Donate pet food
  • Host a pet food drive
  • Purchase pet products that support your local pet food bank

2) Foster pets for your local animal rescue or shelter.

Fostering pets for your local animal shelter or rescue offers many benefits for pets and pet owners alike. In addition to saving animals’ lives, you help to increase the likelihood of permanent adoption by exposing foster animals to friends, family members, and other potential owners. Additionally, fostering is a simple process and foster families often receive assistance with medical care.

3) Support organizations that help cover veterinary costs.

When your pet is suffering from an illness or injury, your primary goal is to ensure that your pet receives the proper medical care quickly. Unfortunately, many pet owners find themselves unable to cover the costs of mounting veterinary bills. The good news is that there are some great organizations devoted to helping pet owners cover the cost of vet bills. By supporting organizations that help with veterinary bills, you will help keep pets at home with the families that love them. On the Front Range in Colorado, we especially love PetAid and Peace, Love, & Paws.

4) Support providers who offer spay and neuter services.

This step is especially important in low-income or rural areas where pet owners are more likely to avoid spaying and neutering pets because of the associated costs. In Colorado, organizations such as Spay Today, Dumb Friends League, CAWL, and PawsCo devote time and energy to providing solutions to low-income pet owners.

5) Microchip your pets.

The microchipping process is quick and virtually painless for dogs and cats. The procedure typically costs less than $50 and can be undertaken at your local veterinary clinic. There are many reasons to microchip your pet, including the following:

6) Train and socialize your pets to coexist with people and other animals.

Exposing your pet to other people and animals at a young age will help your pet develop a trusting, non-aggressive attitude. If you notice any problems with your pet, they should be addressed quickly to prevent negative long-term habits from forming.

7) Purchase pet insurance.

Pet emergencies and illnesses are unpredictable and can be costly. Pet owners can expect to pay an average of $800 to $1,500 for unexpected medical care for pets. Purchasing pet insurance can alleviate the strain of unexpected medical costs and can prevent your family from being ripped apart and financially drained. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is an example of a pet insurance provider that will donate $50 to Colorado Pet Pantry with each policy purchased.

8) Allow pets in rental properties.

 72% of renters own pets. Unfortunately, many of these pet owners have difficulty securing pet-friendly rental housing. Many landlords have policies that forbid renters to have pets, and owners who do allow pets often impose weight and breed restrictions. If you own rental properties or if you know someone who specializes in rental housing, you can become an agent of change by encouraging owners to allow pets.

Final Considerations

There are things that you can do as a pet owner or an animal advocate to make a positive impact on animal livelihood in your community. By following the eight steps above, you can help reduce the number of homeless pets in our country.