Wondering How You Can Help Animals During The Coronavirus Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world with shutdowns, travel restrictions, and stay-at-home orders. This has also dramatically impacted at-risk animals in shelters, rescues, feral colonies and sanctuaries. Here are some ways you can help:

Foster an Animal

With shelters, rescues and sanctuaries closed or restricted during the pandemic, fostering an animal now is even more important to the millions of animals that don’t have homes. With many people working from home, it provides even more meaningful time with a foster animal that will cherish the human companionship and provide some needed joy in a stressful time for humans. Please contact a rescue or shelter in your area for details.

Photo featuring adoptable kitty, Twinkie, and her foster mom, Christine - from the Good Luck Cat Cafe!

Meowingtons partners with the Good Luck Cat Cafe here in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Due to the pandemic, they have closed their doors to the public - and all of their cats are in foster homes. But they continue to rescue cats in need and are always looking for more foster parents! If you're interested in fostering an animal in the Fort Lauderdale area, you can contact them on Facebook! 

Adopt a Pet

There’s almost nothing more appreciative in the world than an animal that finds its fur-ever home. During this crisis, many shelters are offering discounts or waiving adoption fees, so now is a great time to find that special pet for your home.

Support Animal Sanctuaries and Rescues

Most animal sanctuaries and rescues are supported by donations from kind animal lovers. During this crisis, it’s much more difficult for many of these organizations to connect with their donors who also might be having financial difficulties. If you are able to donate to one of these organizations please do.

Donate Supplies

Shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries are usually mostly funded through monetary donations. However, many will still gladly accept donations of food, litter, toys, beds, blankets and many other useful items. Check with your local rescue or shelter to find out how you can help.

Feral Colonies

One of the biggest at-risk groups is feral cat colonies, also known as community cats. Many of these cats rely on the kindness of animal lovers who do their best to feed them, spay/neuter them as part of Trap-Neuter-Release programs, and get them medical help when possible. In turn, the groups that provide this help to feral colonies are always in need of volunteers and financial help. Please contact your local organization to provide financial and/or volunteer help.

Join Social Media Groups dedicated to helping animals

One of the easiest ways to help animals during this pandemic is to participate in social media groups that are dedicated to helping animals. Through postings, people can raise awareness of national and local situations and drive access to volunteers, resources, financial help and support when animals need it most.

Local Community

And don’t forget that there might be an elderly or at-risk neighbor that could use help during this crisis. Whether that’s help with food, supplies, finances or just driving a pet to the veterinarian, you can be a good and helpful neighbor to someone in need.