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Favorite Dog Charities
You love your dog, but you know there are many other pups in need, especially in today's economy. You'd like to help out, but you're not sure what to do. And if you're like us, you may get dozens of charity solicitations in the mail every month, but you can't help all of them! Not sure which ones to choose? Here are some of Buster's favorite charities:
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere, founded by Henry Bergh of New York in 1866, who believed that animals deserved to be treated with respect and kindness by humans and should be protected under the law. It is still based in New York City and is one of the largest humane societies in the world. Their influence extends across the country in helping animals. We've been donating regularly to the ASPCA for years. To learn more about the ASPCA, click on the following link:
www.aspca.org
This charity, located in New York State, is a no-kill shelter that has a wonderful program called 'Sponsor a Dog' for their 'special needs' animals. These include animals who have major health challenges and are less likely to be adopted into loving homes. Your monthly donation goes toward the care of one of these pups. In return, you'll receive a certificate and quarterly updates on your sponsor animal. We have belonged to this program for a number of years and are sponsoring our fourth dog. The first one was a female Boxer mix named Hazelnut. She was born with a condition called aortal stenosis, which meant that her aorta (the large blood vessel leading to the heart) did not grow as she did, which was not correctable with surgery and caused a number of problems. Unfortunately, Hazelnut passed away at a fairly young age, but our monthly contribution helped to pay for her medical needs and keep her as comfortable and happy as possible during her short life. The next pet we sponsored was an elderly female German Shepherd named Baby who had suffered mammary cancer and had been treated with surgery. Fortunately, Baby was lucky enough to enjoy her last months with an adoptive family. Then there was Nina, a little female black Lab mix who was diabetic, and as a result, suffered from glaucoma and had to have an eye removed. We received word within the past couple months that Nina passed away, so now we're fostering Sixpence, a little male German Shepherd mix who has a deformity in that all four of his legs are unnaturally short. Sixpence also suffers from seizures, but he is currently in a good foster home. Monthly donations from sponsors help to defray some of the medical expenses these animals incur. (By the way, NSAL also has a 'Sponsor a Cat' program.) If you're interested in sponsoring a dog, or want to find out more about this charity, click on the following link:
www.nsalamerica.org
This charity has been instrumental in helping to shut down puppy mills and lobbying for better conditions for farm animals raised commercially for food. The HSUS also helped rescue many animals stranded by hurricanes and other catastrophic situations and helped reunite them with their owners or find new homes. The HSUS also has worked with film and television productions using animals to ensure that nobody was harmed in the process. This is another charity we've supported for years. When you become a donor, you'll receive their regular publication, 'All Animals', that keeps you on top of all the good work they're doing for our dogs and other furry friends. To find out more about the Humane Society of the United States, click on the following link:
www.humanesociety.org
One of our favorite charities is Canine Companions for Independence. This wonderful organization trains service dogs and places them with people who need their talents and skills. If you've ever watched one of these service dogs in action, it's truly amazing what they can do--opening doors, answering the phone, picking up dropped objects, turning lights on and off. These dogs help to provide dignity and independence to people with disabilities. This charity is a favorite of suspense novelist Dean Koontz, whose beloved late Golden Retriever, Trixie, was a retired CCI graduate. His current Golden, Anna, is also a retired CCI dog (and coincidentally is Trixie's great-niece). To learn more about Canine Companions for Independence,click on the following link:
www.cci.org
Another favorite charity of ours is Best Friends. Located in Angel Canyon, Utah, Best Friends provides food, shelter, and care to hundreds of animals--not only household pets such as dogs and cats, but also pretty much any animal, wild or domestic, that needs help. Since they are a no-kill shelter, if a domestic animal is not adoptable due to health or behavioral issues, that animal has a permanent home at Best Friends. They also rehabilitate wild animals for eventual release--but if for some reason, that animal cannot be released back into its natural habitat, that animal can stay at Best Friends for the rest of its life. The area where the dogs live is known as Dogtown and has been featured in television programs. This organization also runs a sponsor program for its furry residents, and sent a team to Haiti last year to provide aid for four-legged earthquake victims. Needless to say, an enormous amount of funds are required to run an operation this large--but Best Friends is truly an amazing place. To learn more about Best Friends, click on the following link:
www.bestfriends.org
Another wonderful charity is D.E.L.T.A. Rescue. Founded more than twenty years ago by the actor Leo Grillo when he found a stray Doberman Pinscher living in the wild, which he adopted and named Delta, this charity has grown to more than 150 acres with two fully-equipped veterinary hospitals and over 1,500 animals in residence. We've been donating to D.E.L.T.A. for several years. To learn more about this charity, click on the following link:
www.deltarescue.org
These are just a few of the many worthy charitable organizations that work tirelessly to help animals every day. If you would like to help on a local level, contact your local animal shelter or Humane Society. These organizations are always in need of financial assistance. If you'd prefer to be more 'hands-on', you could volunteer your time. There are dogs to be walked, cages to be cleaned, and a lot of overworked staffers that would love to have an extra set of hands to help. Even an hour or two a week will make a difference in the life of a shelter pet. You've found the charity that tugged your heartstrings the most. On behalf of Buster, and others like him, we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. Please visit our other pages for more good dog stuff. Return to Home Page |
