How to Help Animals During a Crisis

written by Alysia Slusser

Unless you’ve been living under rock for the past month you should be more than aware of our current crisis. What you may not know is how this crisis will carry over to our beloved furry friends. 

​While we are all holed up in our cozy homes (hopefully) watching our favorite trash TV there are still animals being brought into shelters around the nation and with many adoption events having to come to a slow trickle, many of these animals are at risk. Animals will keep coming in and once the shelter is full very hard choices have to be made. If it’s a tough time to be human it’s an even tougher time to be an animal.

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So with that guilt trip out of the way how can you help? Let me count the ways! 

1. Foster a dog: You’re working from home anyway so contact a local rescue and apply to be a foster. It will also give you a reason to just walk around outside for a bit everyday, bye bye cabin fever. Many rescues are doing virtual or phone orientations so you will only need to leave your house to pick up your dog and their supplies (fostering is free).
2. Donate your cash money: A lot of organizations (including us) are having to cancel their events to keep us all safe, and that’s the smart thing to do, but that means that the donations they would usually receive aren’t coming in. So just pour yourself a glass of wine at home and hit that donate button to your favorite shelter or rescue.
3. Grab something off an Amazon wishlist: Most shelters and rescues need the same things over and over and from the comfort of your home you just send it right to them. No need to step out into the germy world. 
4. Buy some merch and show it off: If you can’t go out and show people how altruistic you are, you can do it on Instagram. Buy that cute sweatshirt which you can now wear to “work”. Get the mug that proves you love dogs and coffee. Snap a picture of you doing your part by social distancing and caring for animals. Then tag @realdogmomsofchicago so we can let everyone else know how awesome you are. Go you!
5. Donate to an animal food bank: Like Friendship Food Pantry. Many of our friends and neighbors are going to be out of work or making far less than they usually do and that means it could be hard for them to take care of their furry loves. Food pantries of all kinds are going to need lots of resources to help serve our community. ​

In all seriousness we are part of an amazing community and we are seeing people step up in unbelievable ways. Continue to remember the most vulnerable as we weather this virtual storm together and do what you can to help. Until this all passes we’re working on new ways to have fun and do good together.
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For a list of our favorite rescues who could use your help see our Rescue Partners page.

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