Animal welfare groups rescue many types of pets that need fostering.
Many animal shelters, rescue groups, and veterinarians let volunteers foster pets to free up space for other rescued animals, according to the Humane Society of the United States. A foster family provides the attention young or troubled pets need to thrive and grow into loving, well-trained pets suitable for adoption by a permanent owner. The rescue group or shelter usually pays for the health- and food-related expenses of the pets incurred by a foster parent. Help these animal welfare groups pay for foster pet expenses by helping to organize fundraising events.
Instructions
1. Contact the rescue group, shelter, or veterinarian to ask about holding a fundraising event to fund foster pets. See if they have any events scheduled or what kind of events they have held in the past. If they have a person who coordinates fundraising events, volunteer to help plan or participate in one of the events. Otherwise, volunteer to plan such an event for the group and ask them for a list of other volunteers who can help you.
2. Set a monetary goal with the organization for how much they feel will cover the expenses of foster pets and how many pets the money will help. Make sure that enough volunteers exist to foster the pets that you raise money for. While you might raise the necessary money, without willing volunteers, the organization cannot foster animals.
3. Contact local business owners about donating to your animal welfare organization. Let them know the money will go toward fostering needy animals who may otherwise go unadopted or possibly euthanized, depending on the shelter practices. See if business owners would also help you sponsor an event or allow you to place a collection box in their stores. Ask them if you can leave advertisements for your animal welfare group in their stores or advertise a fundraising event.
4. Choose an event that you feel will raise enough money for your animal welfare group to feed and provide medical care for foster pets. Some ideas include a bake sale, craft fair, pet parade, dog walking event, marathon or auction. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recommends organizing events like this to help them raise funds for animals. Contact your local ASPCA chapter to see about holding a joint event to raise money for your foster pets and the animal rescue organization you work with.
5. Find a location to hold your event and obtain any necessary permits or permissions to use the space for a specified date. Borrow or rent any equipment necessary to hold the event, such as tables for bake sales, music equipment for parades, and cleanup supplies for after the event. Events such as pet fashion shows may require the purchase or construction of outfits for pets. Since the event sponsors foster pets, consider having the pets as part of such a fashion show, dog walk, or other pet-themed event that pets can participate in. This will show potential donors whose care their money will support.
6. Advertise your event with fliers, newspaper ads, or social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter. Email current members and volunteers of the animal rescue organization you work with to tell their friends and family about the event. See if local radio personalities will mention your event on-air.
7. Collect the money from the event and ask your animal welfare group to set it aside for foster pet expenses only. If you hold an event to sponsor your own foster pets, inform the animal welfare group you volunteer for and budget the money to only pay for your foster pet expenses. Donate any remaining money to the animal welfare group after someone adopts your foster pet.
Tags: animal welfare, animal welfare group, foster pets, welfare group, your animal