We know from studies that interacting with pets can have a direct influence on your health, from lowering your blood pressure, elevating your mood and helping you get more exercise. They touch our lives in amazing ways, and often through interaction with them we understand ourselves just a little more. Animals have very little safety nets and they have no voice to speak up on their own behalf. They have very few laws that are written to protect them but in so many ways for so many people touch our hearts in meaningful ways that they only can. Furthermore, research has shown that owning a pet can increase both well-being and longevity.
Yet only a small % of charitable donations in the United States and Canada go to animal charities.
These days in our tough economic times, with the uncertainly of our environment due to the natural disasters, coronavirus and other financial and the uncertainty of so many countries due to volatile situations charitable giving is down across the board. Many people struggling to make their own ends meet, or to save for a rainy day there is no relief in site for struggling charities and animal charities will suffer as well. Animal charities already get less than 10% of the charitable giving, and this number is also on the decline. People are giving less and redirecting their money to more urgent causes like healthcare or human emergencies and we can expect in these tumultuous times that trend will continue. Who will take care of the animals? Who will stand up for the animal’s rights?
Animal Shelter Statistics in Canada
Let’s look at the data to understand the charitable giving options, some of these statistics are dated so lets use them as general guidelines. Canadian animal shelters take in over 200,000 animals a year, and over 40% of cats are euthanized, and 15% of dogs taken in are euthanized. Most of these due to health reasons and others because of over population. The number of cats in shelters greatly outnumber dogs, and cats are claimed by their owners less than 5% of the time compared to over 25% of dogs – this may point to a growing number of feral cats that are not owned by anyone but instead live/hide outdoors. This is a lot of pets and to manage the needs for those pets’ shelters need to be available, they have daily expenses, and needs for a good number of volunteers to help them run effectively.
Animal Shelter Rescue Statistics in the United States
Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. We estimate that the number of dogs and cats entering U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 7.2 million in 2011.
Farm Animal Charities and Causes
In addition to pet animals, farm animals also need protection to ensure safe and humane farming practices, marine animals to ensure humane treatment, and/or even release.
How to Support Animal Charities?
So, as someone living in North America, what can you do to help?
1. Volunteering at Animal Charities
Volunteer your time for animal causes, you will likely have a local animal close to you that is probably always looking for volunteers. It’s a great way to get your children involved. They often need people to walk the dogs, clean cages or just spend some social time with the animals. Think about having one pet at home that needs your attention, imagine having a full shelter.
2. Donating Items to Animal Charities
Donate items. Always call your shelter first and see what is needed. Often it will be blankets and food. Don’t bring items that they don’t need; they won’t have the space to store unneeded items. The locations are often way too small for the area they serve. If the local shelter won’t take items, there will also be many smaller often passion-driven organizations that will gladly take your items.
3. Sign a petition for Animal Causes
Sign a petition for change, these are often driven by the larger organizations or passionate people with a singular cause. They want your voice to advocate on behalf of animals and change for animals that will help ensure their livelihood and wellbeing. www.change.org is a great place to start.
4. Support Animal Charities on Social Media
Share your voice in social media, helping organizations raise money and awareness for the work they do. Thank them for the work they do, they are working often from a place of passion and commitment and sometimes that means many late hours and many hours outside of the office rallying for animal rights.
5. Start your own Fundraising to support Animal Charities
Arrange for your own fundraiser supporting the cause that is closely aligned with your own passion. Often lending your voice in the context of peer to peer fundraising can be amazingly successful and rewarding. There are many peer fundraising tools available to you, look carefully at the administration costs because they are not all created equal.
6. Find a Animal Charity to donate money to
If you want to support animals, but you don’t have time or items to spend. Donating money to animal charities is an easier and time-saving way. Donate to the animal charity that is closely connected with your own passions. Give generously, help these organizations thrive.
Best Animal Charities Examples
There are tens of thousands of animal-loving charities and nonprofits around the world. Below are examples of great animal charities for animal lovers.
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – protect our parklands, wetlands and the wilderness that depends on it. This is a good choice for the environmentalist and animal enthusiast. Our Canadian wildlife and environment are known around the world, let’s help keep them pristine and protected.
The Ontario and Vancouver SPCA are some of North America’s largest shelters. If you are looking for the number of animals you can help these are both great options. They do great work, and have a large number of animals in/out of their shelters every year. If you are looking for a shelter, there is sure to be one close to you or even pick a remote Northern location where the needs could be great but they are stretched for resources because the cost of animal rescue may be significantly higher just because of the territory they need to cover.
African Wildlife Foundation – is a charity based in the Kenya, but with offices in the US. They focus their work on natural preservation but have a specific focus on animals that are at threat of going extinct.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) The World Wildlife Fund is perhaps one of the best-known organizations for the protection of endangered species and their habitats around the world. They work around the world, and work hard to raise awareness of the plight of animals and the threat of the human species to their ongoing welfare.
Best Friends Animal Society was founded decades ago, Best Friends Animal Society is the United States’ largest no-kill shelter for companion animals such as cats, dogs, and horses. A good choice if pets are your passion. No-kill shelters typically require more resources to run, and your donation will help ensure they can continue to run even when the shelter is full.
The Humane Society is probably one of the most well-known animal welfare organizations. They have a number of programs in many countries to support pets, but they have launched broader initiatives against inhumane practices for wildlife hunting, factory farming and animal testing. They are focused on the broader change that can happen and are a strong advocate voice for animals around the world.
Animal Charity Evaluators: https://animalcharityevaluators.org/
The Humane League: https://thehumaneleague.org/
Good Food Institute: https://www.gfi.org/
Albert Schweitzer Foundation: https://albertschweitzerfoundation.org/
Anima International: https://animainternational.org/
No matter what you specifically want to support, animal charities need your help and without people supporting them many animals would not have a voice. Stand up and let your voice be heard.
Best Animal Charity Videos
FAQ about Best Animal Charities
The Best Ways to support Animal Charities?
The best ways to support animal charities are:
- Volunteering at Animal Charities
- Donating Items to Animal Charities
- Sign a petition for Animal Causes
- Support Animal Charities on Social Media
- Start your own Fundraising to support Animal Charities
- Find a Animal Charity to donate money to
What are the best animal charities in Canada?
- Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – protect our parklands, wetlands and the wilderness that depends on it. This is a good choice for the environmentalist and animal enthusiast. Our Canadian wildlife and environment are known around the world, let’s help keep them pristine and protected.
- The Ontario and Vancouver SPCA are some of North America’s largest shelters. If you are looking for the number of animals you can help these are both great options. They do great work, and have a large number of animals in/out of their shelters every year. If you are looking for a shelter, there is sure to be one close to you or even pick a remote Northern location where the needs could be great but they are stretched for resources because the cost of animal rescue may be significantly higher just because of the territory they need to cover.
- African Wildlife Foundation – is a charity based in the Kenya, but with offices in the US. They focus their work on natural preservation but have a specific focus on animals that are at threat of going extinct.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF) The World Wildlife Fund is perhaps one of the best-known organizations for the protection of endangered species and their habitats around the world. They work around the world, and work hard to raise awareness of the plight of animals and the threat of the human species to their ongoing welfare.
- Best Friends Animal Society was founded decades ago, Best Friends Animal Society is the United States’ largest no-kill shelter for companion animals such as cats, dogs, and horses. A good choice if pets are your passion. No-kill shelters typically require more resources to run, and your donation will help ensure they can continue to run even when the shelter is full.
- The Humane Society is probably one of the most well-known animal welfare organizations. They have a number of programs in many countries to support pets, but they have launched broader initiatives against inhumane practices for wildlife hunting, factory farming and animal testing. They are focused on the broader change that can happen and are a strong advocate voice for animals around the world.
