According to the Humane Society of the United States, animal shelters across the country take in hundreds of thousands of stray animals per year. Veterinary care, food, shelter and administrative fees often outnumber the revenue earned from adoptions. This means shelters often have to get creative with their fund-raising efforts. If grants, annual campaigns and pledge drives don't cover the costs, these fund-raising ideas can help bridge the gap.
Paw Paintings
Hold a paw painting event or offer paw painting at a booth at a fair, festival or other community event. Offer different-sized canvases for different prices and prepaint each one with a solid background color. Fill paper plates with various colors of water-based paint and have pet owners either walk their pets through the paint and across the canvases or stamp the canvas with paint-covered paws.
Dog Wash
Car washes are successful for cheerleaders and Girl Scout troops, and the same idea can apply to pets. Have kiddie pools filled with water and several hoses available, as well as mild pet shampoo and old towels. Invite community members to bring their pets by for a bath. Charge per bath or ask for a donation.
Treats Bake Sale
This is like a conventional bake sale but offers homemade pet treats instead of sweets for people. Community members and shelter volunteers can create several different kinds of treats, like peanut butter morsels, dog-safe ice cream or savory and meat- or cheese-based treats. The event can be an ongoing sale at a local flea market or a onetime sale at a special event.
Virtual Pet Parents
Many people cannot have pets due to time constraints, age, work schedules or residential guidelines. For these community members, a virtual pet is a great option. For a minimal "adoption" fee, virtual pet owners get special access to a website that features a special shelter animal. The website contains video feeds of the animal playing and of caretakers feeding and grooming the animal. The website also features a blog about your virtual pet. Once your pet is adopted, a new virtual pet will take its place. This is a way for people who cannot own pets to relax and spend a few minutes each week in the calming "presence" of a loving shelter animal.
Paws Spaw Day
Recruit volunteers from local pet-grooming businesses and organize a pet spa day. Pets can get baths, have their nails trimmed, try out special pet perfumes or shampoos and get brushed or groomed. This is great advertising for the businesses that participate. Charge a small fee for each salon service.
Pooch Pool Party
Many communities have public pools for residents to swim in over the hot summer months. On the last day of the season, when these pools are going to be drained and cleaned for the season, ask if you can host a dog pool party. Pet owners pay a small fee to enter, and community vendors can also pay a small fee to set up booths and tables. Dogs can swim all afternoon and meet other dogs, and the next day, the pool is drained, cleaned and closed up, so there's no need to worry about fur in the pool.
Tags: animal website, community members, drained cleaned, people cannot, shelter animal, their pets