5 Heart Warming Pet Projects That Help Those in Need

Charities are a great thing, and many of them extend their help to pets in need, in addition to those that help people. There are a lot of them out there, enough that many slip between the cracks when people are considering charities and nonprofits. Read on for some of the best helping hands around, and maybe see what you can do to get involved.

1. Rescue Coffee Co.

This coffee company offers premium organic, fair trade coffee and donates 10% of all their profits to animals in need. They work with animal rescue organizations in Canada.They are passionate about high quality coffee and helping animals that are suffering.

By supporting them and buying their coffee, you help less fortunate pets receive food, water, shelter and love, one sip at a time.

2. Friends of Animals

Friends of Animals began on a much smaller scale than they work today. Their initial operation was primarily centered on fixing household pets, a common goal for those who understand how badly uncontrolled breeding really is.

From their humble beginnings, in 1957 no less, they’ve expanded to become a force to be reckoned with in the animal rights world. They’ve opened a primate sanctuary and campaign around the world for critical care of the environment.

While their scope has certainly expanded, their core message is still about animal advocacy. They’re continuing to accomplish goals in that arena to this day. You may not agree with their entire platform, but they’re an effective force for the good of animals and that’s a huge bonus.

3. PetSmart Charities

Yes, that PetSmart.

The charities run by the oft-maligned big box pet store are remarkably effective in action. Unlike many animal rights groups, their main focus is entirely on homeless pets and homing them.

They offer a substantial amount of spaying and neutering services for pets. In addition, they also help the pets get adopted out to loving homes, which should be the end goal of any rescue.

They’re the ones in charge of the adoption places you see in the stores. They bring in animals from local shelters to help them find their forever home with their customers, but not everything they do can be perceived as working just for their benefit.

One of the more interesting things done is moving animals from high-population shelters to other places where they’re both more likely to be adopted and less likely to be put down.

Don’t let the name association fool you, PetSmart’s charities are one of the best around.. The presence in stores makes shopping there a bit more pleasant once you know, especially if the draw of asking odd questions has already faded.

4. Alley Cat Allies

Alley Cat Allies has a tight focus on helping various stray and feral cats, as well as preventing more of them from being born. Feral cats are a serious problem, and they actively work to combat them through humane means.

More than that, this group also fights for correcting misinformation about the animals themselves. Many harmful rumors come to light about feral cats, and most people don’t know better. Informational outreach is an effective countermeasure to ignorance.

In short: they’re a charity group that cares about cats and actively seeks to both educate and help them.

They’re an impressive group of folks, and their mission is one that will make things better for cats everywhere over time.

5. ASPCA

If you’re in the United States, then you know of the ASPCA. They’re one of the largest and most powerful charities in the country, with a network of shelters and other help across the entire nation.

Their operations fall under three main categories: protecting abused animals, placing animals in great homes, and helping along with laws that protect pets. It’s a complete organization from the top to bottom, and one which is a household name in the US.

They’re still one of the most powerful pro-pet charities around and they have a long history of doing the right thing. When it comes down to it: most charities don’t have the same clout or power. While smaller charities may be a bit more effective on the ground, they don’t help to form the structure of how pets are seen and treated in nearly the same way.

The ASPCA has been around since 1866, and they don’t appear to be going anywhere soon. That’s a good thing for both humans and the animals they care for!

6. The Humane Society of the United States

Another of the big ones, the Humane Society is one of the most important animal welfare groups out there. They operate on a massive scale compared to many charities, allowing them to affect the legislature in addition to furry lives.

Their goals are often broader, seeking to affect the way animals and humans interact more than individual cases. That said, they do plenty of boots-on-the-ground work as well.

The Humane Society uses its funding to run shelters, contest laws unfavorable to animals, and fight at things like industrial farming and dogfighting. Altogether they’re an amazing organization and one which has made real change happen in the past.

Of course, it seems they’ll continue to do so well into the future as well. 65 years since their formation, they continue to fight the good fight on every front they can. Most importantly, they continue to do so in a sane fashion, rather than bending to the will of extremists like some groups.

Final Thoughts

These projects and organizations are truly doing such good work, but they need your help and support - without it, it is just a good initiative without results. With around 200 million stray dogs worldwide, these people make a huge difference in bringing down those numbers and helping animals that feel lost, hungry and abandoned receive basic needs, care and love.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes