Making “Shelter In Place” better, one happy animal at a time
They greet us with love when we come home from work. They make us smile and laugh with their silly antics. They comfort us in times of distress. They’re the stars of some of the most popular videos on the Internet.
You may have guessed it—they’re our pets, and they’re just as important to us now as they’ve ever been. Pets provide so many benefits to our daily lives, like companionship, exercise, and improved mental health; and these benefits have become even more valuable in this time of social-distancing.
But what about those animals without homes? In the midst of this global crisis, how can we help our furry friends in need?
The animal rescues in Chattanooga are still hard at work caring for our local pet population, and there’s plenty you can do from the comfort of your home to benefit them.
What our local animal rescues are needing most right now are donations, either monetary or in the form of food and supplies. Chattanooga’s two largest animal rescue centers, McKamey Animal Center and the Humane Educational Society, are both in need of food and other necessities for the animals.
The Humane Educational Society, which cares for 4,000-5,000 homeless pets every year, has multiple items listed on their website as being “urgently needed”, including cat litter pans, canned dog and cat food, and training treats; but you can see their full wish list on their website, at heschatt.org.
The McKamey Animal Center is also in need of supplies of every kind: food, including canned cat and dog food, as well as kitten formula; toys and enrichment materials, like pipe cleaners and peanut butter; and cleaning supplies, like bleach, lint rollers, and bath size towels. And this is just some of what’s needed. You can find their entire wish list on mckameyanimalcenter.org.
Additionally, McKamey not only cares for the animals staying within their walls, but also for the ones who now have forever homes. And with the sudden loss of income for many community members, our sweet pets can become difficult to take care of.
“Our requests for assistance from pet owners who lost their jobs has skyrocketed—we are delivering food two times a week to pet owners so they can keep their pets,” says Jamie McAloon, executive director of the McKamey Animal Center. So, donating food not only helps the animals get what they need to survive, but also allows families to keep their beloved pets.
Monetary donations are just as helpful. A representative from the Humane Educational Society says, “Because of the pandemic, we have had to cancel or reschedule all of our usual fundraising events including our biggest fundraiser of the year, Rescues on the Runway. Because we are a non-profit, we rely on our fundraising to keep the doors open and the animals fed.”
And there are some fun ways to donate to Chattanooga’s animal community, even from your own home. Some of the local rescue centers have online fundraisers scheduled to accommodate for the pandemic. One such fundraiser is the Alice Fund’s 5th Annual Fur Ball on April 24th, which falls on National Hairball Day (yes, that exists).
The Alice Fund provides supplies and medical care to cat owners who would otherwise be unable to afford to keep their precious felines. The event will be held virtually this year, and donations of any amount are welcome; but if you choose to be a VIP donor, which costs only $50, your very own cat gets to be in the Alice Fund’s “red carpet” photo gallery.
If you’d like to help in a more hands-on way, you can always consider fostering a pet. While local shelters take excellent care of their occupants, it’s great for dogs and cats to spend time in an actual home while they’re waiting to be adopted. Not only does this open up space for shelters to help more animals, but you also provide a place for a future pet to become comfortable in a household environment so they can transition smoothly into their forever home.
Many people are finding that now is the perfect time to foster an animal; with everyone staying at home—and running out of home improvement projects—giving your love and attention to an animal in need is a wonderful way to stay busy.
In the chaos of a global pandemic, it’s easy for our animal friends to get a little lost in the shuffle. But Chattanooga’s resident felines, canines, rodents, and reptiles still deserve all the love and care we can offer them. Contact one of your local animal rescue centers to ask what you can do to help.