How To Make a Difference on Change a Pet's Life Day

Whether you have owned pets in the past or would like to own one in the future, there's no greater way to honor the country's beloved cats and dogs than to reach out, provide love and show animals that you care by adopting them from a shelter. Since January 24th is Change a Pet's Life Day, you're encouraged to act by persuading those looking for a furry friend to adopt or sponsor pets from shelters, further raising awareness about such opportunities. If you're curious about the event and would like to become involved in changing a sweet, loving animal's life for the better, here are a few ways you can invest your time, money or both into improving the lives of one or more cats or dogs this winter season.

Plan to Adopt, Prepare by Fostering

If you find yourself on the fence about adopting a pet, whether due to financial reasons, a difficult housing situation or that you simply aren't sure you're cut out to be a pet owner, then you can always take the opportunity to foster first. This special day allows you to finally take the plunge - even at a discounted rate - and determine how or when you'd like to shelter a cat or dog in need of a loving home. Committing to a trial run for yourself through fostering gives you a chance to learn about the cares and needs of your pet, and whether owning one is something you could fit into your busy lifestyle. Fostering also helps relinquish more of the workload from the shelters themselves, allowing the staff in those facilities to provide more resources and basic living necessities to their dogs and cats until they are chosen by someone to be a forever pet. Once you've become acquainted with your foster, you can choose to allow someone else to adopt your new furry friend, or decide to improve your dog or cat's life on your own by keeping them as your new friendly companion.

Set Aside Time to Volunteer

There's never a bad time to start investing more of your free time to volunteering in a variety of ways, but starting out at an animal shelter might be one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever receive. Shelters are constantly looking for more helping hands, people willing to contribute to the well-being and care of animals while they wait for their new owners to choose them. Offering your care and attention to these worthy pets helps improve their socialization with people as well, which can be a huge contributor to helping them get adopted. If you're unsure where to start, turn to your local shelters for more information, or visit the websites of globally-known organizations like the Humane Society of the United States to find more resources on how you can provide your help and support.

Give Donations That Support An Animal's Well-Being

Since most shelters are non-profit these days, finding the proper funding to adequately care for and treat the animals under a shelter's roof can become a dire task. If you'd like to donate more than your time, shelters can always use the help of monetary donations to help operate their facilities and keep them livable for their residents. Things such as extra food, medications, microchips, vaccinations and any other treatments these animals need can all be better managed with the support of financial aid at a shelter's disposal. If you've previously owned a cat or dog that's passed away or you know someone who has pet amenities to spare, even offering such things as waterproof dog coats , dog sweaters, boots or blankets can help contribute to the overall needs of the pets in question.

Instead of scrolling through endless drama and political strife on your favorite network's newsfeed, use your social media platform for something worthwhile on Change a Pet's Life Day. Raise awareness about the January 24th event with your followers, friends and family to spread the word and get people talking. Post the pictures and information of adoptable dogs or cats to help find them a new loving owner in no time, all at a cost that's very little to you in return. All it takes is showing that cute terrier puppy in a fluffy sweater or an elderly cat bundled in a soft blanket to draw the love and attention of anyone who sees their pictures right away, possibly providing them with a forever home sooner rather than later. You can also contribute by posting about other events at your local shelters and raising more awareness over the long-term beyond just this one special day. Specify certain dates where the facility is offering discounted rates on animal adoptions, or verify what days are best to volunteer. Every little bit counts in the quest to find a loving cat or dog a loving, supporting family and home.

Promote Healthy Changes in Your Adopted Pet's Lifestyle

Those who have already claimed a dog or cat know just how enriching adopting or fostering an animal can be. However, there are always ways to improve your pet's lifestyle, even if they've been a staple of your family unit for years. As a way to ring in the new year with your dog, opt to exercise together outdoors more often, or try to teach your pooch some new tricks or behaviors as a way to keep his or her mind sharp and promote more bonding and socialization. Meanwhile, you can also choose to offer your cat new toys to boost his or her mood, or spend more time bundled with your friendly feline as you read a book or relax by the fire on a rainy day. You can vastly improve a pet's life with small, simple changes, so just choosing one activity or idea to start with is already a great way to enhance your pet's life.

January 24th is the announced date to take broader action and raise awareness for Change a Pet's Life Day. However, any day can be the perfect opportunity to change a cat or dog's life for the better by adopting one from a shelter and inviting him or her into your warm, loving home and - ultimately - your world.