So many people think fostering is the only way to help rescue. While fostering is important, there are so many other needs that an animal rescue group has! So if you can't foster or adopt a dog, we've created a helpful list of a variety of ways to help an animal rescue group:

• Make a few phone calls to your legislators to support pet-friendly laws!
• Transport a dog or cat to his/her forever home for a rescue group or shelter.
• Have elderly neighbors who can't get out easily? Offer to walk their dog or take it to the vet.
• Someone you know going through tough financial times? Direct them to rescue groups who can help him/her care for pets by sharing food, litter, and other supplies.
• Volunteer with a rescue group like ART in your area.
• Drive a foster pet to and from vet appointments.
• Offer to walk dogs in a foster home to help a foster caregiver.
• Like photography? Offer to take good photos of foster pets for adoption flyers, etc.
• Get the word out! Write a column for a local newspaper or club newsletter on pets currently looking for homes or ways to help rescue.
• Pick up donated pet food and supplies from local businesses.
• Provide care for shelter animals. Volunteer to clean cages, or feed, groom, or walk the animals in a local shelter.
• Talk to all your friends about adopting and fostering homeless animals.
• Feed a feral, or two, or three. Many organizations practice trap/neuter/return and can use help with feeding cats. An offer to help with feeding once or twice a week can provide a nice break for a busy caregiver. To learn more about trap/neuter/return, visit the Alley Cat Allies website at www.alleycat.org.
• Help a friend or acquaintance alter their pet. To find a local low-cost spay/neuter program, visit: http://www.artanimals.org/lowcostspayneuter.html
• Take a shelter dog to obedience class or pay for him to attend.
• Set up a donation coin can or food program. Create donation cans and place them in area businesses or put pet-food donation collection bins at local supermarkets.
• Lend your artistic talents to your rescue's newsletter, fundraising ideas, t-shirt designs.
• Talk with your veterinarian. Thank your veterinarian for whatever help he or she may provide to homeless animals and local shelters. If your vet does not already help, ask if he or she would consider providing some discount services to the local shelter, or donating a few spay/neuter surgeries for feral cats.
• Write thank you notes, or return phone calls for a local group.
• Tell your friends and neighbors. Don’t underestimate the value of word-of-mouth. Tell others what you are doing and why. Invite them to help out, too.
  Create adoption posters and hang them around the community.
• Go to a local business and solicit donations for a group's fundraising event.
  Seek donations for a local group. Circulate a “Wish List” of items needed for the local shelter around your work place and gather the items on a set day. Or, offer to approach local businesses on behalf of an organization to raise funds or seek in-kind donations. Some stores will donate damaged packages of pet food.

While money is always appreciated so that specific items can be purchased for the individual care of each animal, it is not the only thing that you can donate to help local rescue groups or shelters! Here are some examples of items many animal caregivers could use:

• Gift certificates to any store that sells pet supplies (e.g. Wal-Mart, PetSmart, etc.)
• Pet beds
• Toys
• Crates, x-pens or baby gates
• Food/water dishes
• Leashes, collars, halters, promise collars or gentle leaders
• Scratching posts
• Medical supplies
• Humane traps (i.e. live traps for TNR)
• Treats or food
• Grooming supplies (brushes, shedding blades, zoom grooms, etc.)
• Gently used pet equipment
• Advantage, heartworm pills, or a first aid kit
• Raffle items for your rescue group fund raisers
• The use of your scanner, camera or photocopier
• Coupons for pet food or treats
• Cleaning supplies like bleach or ammonia
• Printer paper, envelopes and stamps