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Show Your Gratitude
During
National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
by Rebecca Simmons

This November, before you kick off holiday celebrations with a Thanksgiving feast, remember to thank an organization vital to the people and animals in your community, yet often under-funded and under-appreciated: your local animal shelter.

During National Animal Shelter Appreciation (NASA) week, November 7-13, 2004, you'll have the opportunity to show your local shelter just how much you appreciate their role in caring for the estimated 6-8 million relinquished, abandoned, lost or injured animals who make their way through America's animal shelter system each year.

"Local humane organizations, both municipal and non-profit, are integral to your community," says Kate Pullen, HSUS's director of Animal Sheltering Issues. "Without animal shelters, there would be no place to care for homeless, abused or lost animals who need assistance."

But without the public's support, many shelters struggle to provide the best care possible for the never-ending stream of dogs, cats and other animals from the community. Whether it's a stray cat who needs to be spayed, a pet dog who has been separated from his family or a kitten who has been the victim of animal cruelty, animal shelters and animal control agencies are bursting at the seams with animals in need.

"Often, animal shelters and animal control agencies are under-funded, and the result is programs that need the assistance of the community in the form of donations, labor, and public support," says Pullen.

Megan Gallagher Clark, director of Education and Communication for the Humane League of Lancaster County in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, couldn't agree more. "Animal shelters are community organizations. They need the public's support and the involvement of community members to enhance programs and to achieve their potential."

Want to lend a hand during NASA week but aren't sure how to get involved? Keep reading to find out how you can help your local shelter no matter what your interests, talents or time constraints. But don't wait until November to start planning. The sooner you begin, the bigger the impact you'll have, and the more animals you'll help.

1. Spread the Word

Give your shelters some much-needed publicity. Advertise NASA week in your community by distributing free flyers. Print copies of the NASA week flyer at http://files.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/2004_NASAW_Poster_17x22.pdf and give them to your friends, family and co-workers. Ask local organizations in your community if you can post the flyer on their bulletin boards. You might want to try places like your local veterinarian, library, church or synagogue, gym, grocery store or dog groomer.

2. Plan to Celebrate

Ask your local shelter if it needs volunteers for its NASA week event. If it doesn't have an event already scheduled, offer to help plan one. And make sure that your local shelter is aware of the free NASA week resources available online at www.AnimalSheltering.org These materials, available at no charge to shelters and volunteers, include an event planning guide and poster.

3. Give Cash Back

Have a fundraiser and donate all of the proceeds to your local shelter in honor of NASA week. Hold a bake sale, a car wash or a flea market to raise funds. Make sure to get your shelter's approval before you begin planning your event.

4. Forward the Message

Send this article to your friends, family and co-workers and encourage them to get involved in NASA week. Simply click on "If You'd Like To Share The Cat's Meow", below.

5. Grant a Wish

Obtain a copy or your local shelter's "Wish List." Ask friends, family and co-workers to donate one or two items on the list, then drop your collection off at your local shelter during NASA week.

Now that you know how to help, don't miss this opportunity to show your support for your local animal shelter. And check back in early November to find out how Americans are celebrating NASA week in honor of the shelters, employees and volunteers who help animals every day in communities across the country.

Rebecca Simmons is the Outreach Communications Coordinator for the Companion Animals section of The Humane Society of the United States.

Reprinted from Arcamax Cats & Dogs

The Cat's Meow is becoming 2 sites!

Several weeks ago, our helpful friends at Bright Byte notified us that we'd outgrown our website. So, in order to serve you better, we decided to create 2 websites. Here's what you'll find in our new plan of organization:

www.the-cats-meow.com

www.online-thecatsmeow.com

• Backgrounds
• Cat Cartoons
• Emoticons
• Ezine & Website Tips & Resources
• Games & Trivia
• Music Downloads
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Please visit both sites! Let us know if you have any problems finding your favorite pages!!!

Find A Local Shelter

Fred, owned by Phyllis Montoya of Santa Fe, NM,
was a shelter cat...and just look how big and healthy he is, now!

Find the shelter nearest you, in the U.S. or internationally, at www.KittySites.com