YOU - helping animals!

[salana]

Do you ever wonder how much this forum helps animals? I believe most members here do more than people might think. That's why I made this thread. Everyone, please post what you do to help animals! This can be anything as small as building a C&C cage for your own animals, handing out flyers about overpopulation, or as large as adopting an animal from a rescue or shelter or becoming veg*n. Every one of those things helps animals, and you deserve a pat on the back. So if you want to congratulate someone on helping animals--thank their post!

The only rule:
Every post on this thread must be a positive, personal experience. No criticizing, no complaining, no discussing someone else's post. This is what YOU have done.

So, keep helping and start posting!

[i-love-nev]

Well to help animals I:

Rescue, Re-habilitate and Rehome small animals

Donate to this site, the WWF, a few ferret rescues, a guinea pig rescue, a dog and cat rescue and to the RSPCA.

And to help my own I made them a big cage

[daftscotslass]

I came to this forum in 2005 after adopting a female pig having been to the local SPCA looking for a hamster. It had been a few years since I'd had pigs but had decided to keep them indoors having had disastrous experiences with pigs outdoors in the past. It wasn't long after I built them a C&C cage.

While doing an internet search I found out about a local rescue, Thistle Cavies, and adopted a sow from there in late 2005. Not long after that I offered to volunteer when I could. Through this I've also met JarBax and been the part of much hilarity in cleaning, consuming excessive amounts of tea and generally coming home reeking of boar. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/267780-post41.html

I'm now the proud owner of 5 lovely pigs. This site has helped open my eyes to the problem local to me and has given me the push to get my finger out and do something about it!

[gpigluver14]

-Built a C and C cage for my guinea pigs
-Found this site and began taking 'proper' care of them
-Cat was a former stray
-We save any mice in the house from the cat (or humans) and let them go outside
-Leave bread and corn out for deer to eat
-And I guess this counts: I advocate vegetarianism by telling my friends and family about the meat industry and I have the Meet Your Meat video on my myspace.
-And.... All future pets will be adopted!!

[Biscuit]

I've taken a few pigeons to rehabbers, and just recently an injured baby squirrel that I had to keep in my closet over night, changing warm water bottles out. It was the cutest thing ever, ever!

Whenever I see posts on craigslist of people looking to buy a chinchilla or guinea pig, I send them some basic info on care, direct them to a good forum, and link every one of the animals I can find up for adoption in a shelter or rescue at that time.

I go to a shelter near me and play with the cats, and bring supplies. One big thing they always want is cardboard boxes for animals to play in, around, with, etc. I work at a hospital, so I can get unlimited cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes.

There is a large construction area on our campus, overrun with feral/stray cats that have lived there for years between the construction trailers. The trailers are moving out slowly, and I have contacted some people that rehab feral cats and asked advice. I'm hoping to work with them in trapping the cats.

Recently, most of the kitties at the local animal control shelter were being put to sleep due to a panluk outbreak. There wasn't much I could do, it's not a caring shelter, it's animal control. One of the last cats that seemed healthy but started sneezing was going to be euthanized. So I took him home. He's a nutball with a lot of behavior problems. But I loves him.

I give my info to shelters if they get guinea pigs or chinchillas and don't have much care knowledge on them. I'm no great expert, but I know I can make the time to find answers.

I know all animals deserve to be adopted to good homes, but I'm the biggest sucker for the senior guinea pigs. My first was 5 years old and missing most of her hair. The shelter people literally cried with joy that someone had taken her. The people who surrendered her didn't want that "ugly thing" anymore. I always want the cat no one wants because it's mangy or morbidly obese.

When I see a greasy chinchilla in a shelter ad, I bring over some of the blue cloud dust, knowing the shelter likely can't afford it.

I tend to quickly sponge up all info on any pet I consider owning, and am always eager to share it with others. In fact, they probably wish I would shut up about it.

My enthusiasm for it is pretty contagious, and the people around me have gotten involved as well. Most of them will never buy a pet again, and will be adopting the rest of their lives. Their animals would be in pet store cages, but instead they are in huge cages.

Oh, and when people mail our webpage asking that we "hack" into their girlfriends account or their grades or something (it's a computer security site), Brian tells them they have to donate money to certain animal charities first. And they do! It's funny.

A couple of my friends who I influenced ...might possibly donate hotel towels to shelters. But naturally I would never condone stealing.

I feel like I'm bragging or something. But really, I don't do much out of the 24 hours in a day, and I couldn't possibly do enough.

[aloren]

I have a C&C cage for my 2 boys.
I've decided to donate my time to to a rescue in Raleigh, I am in charge of getting the newsletter out every month. (cant wait to get started on that!)
I encourage everyone I know to adopt, and anyone asking about my animals I encourage to adopt rather than buy.
edited to add:
We have vowed to never give another petstore our money again!

[Guinea_Piggin]

* My boys have a C&C cage and are being cared for properly.

* I convinced my aunt to move her piggy out of a 1x3 petstore cage into a 3x3 C&C...and my dad and I helped her build it.

* I don't have much time to help out at the humane society, but every couple months I go in to donate supplies and spend the better part of an hour talking to all the kitties and small animals...and when they have the time, some of the volunteer folks let me take out the piggies and hold/cuddle them.

*All pet supplies are bought from either the local grainery/feed store or a pet supply store (that doesn't sell animals)

*All future pets are going to be rescues

*Talked people out of buying a small animal at Petno or PetStupid and steered them to a rescue/humane society.

*Rescued a pet mouse that someone had (so very carelessly) left in front of Target...in his cage, no food, no water, on a hot (85F+) day. Couldn't keep him, unfortunately, but he eventually found a home via the humane society.

*Bought a calendar from GuineaLynx the last couple years.

[Suisan]

Have adopted all pets from shelters or from classrooms (two of the piggies).
Volunteer at local shelter to work with cats since husband's allergies won't allow us to have them.
Donate to local shelter.
Help educate schoolkids/teens at the shelter during educational outreach days on pet ownership and responsibility.
Most importantly, teach my OWN kids about how animals should be treated so that there's some hope for the next generation. Sigh.

[wickedrodent]

Great thread! Maybe this will help more people get ideas on ways to help further.

I have:

-Learned the best ways I can to take care of my pigs as well as my other animals.
-Rescued animals.
-Pursaded others to rescue instead of breeding/buying.
-Stopped supporting petstores.
-Went to petstores to try and convice people to not buy animals from there, and to educate people on the proper care of animals they already have. (Helped a lot of people doing this).
-Become a vegetarian.
-Pursuaded a few people to become vegetarian.
-Helped people online (various boards) take better care of their animals.
-Fostered animals and then rehomed them.
-Donated (and continue to donate) to shelters.

I think that is it for now. Kudos to everyone!

[RayFay]

I volunteer at a guinea pig rescue and am currently fostering a mom and her 3 babies who were born in a laundry basket. I help clean cages at the rescue center and I helped with the in-take of 32 guinea pigs from Cali. I gave 33 piggie baths that day! I also talk to other people about adopting instead of buying.

I have a C&C for my own piggies and I feed them Oxbow pellets!

My family and I also donate to no-kill shelters around the area as well as volunteering there with the animals.

[Mommy Of One]

*I rescued my latest little man.
*My two little men are both in a large C&C cage and are given fresh fruits, veggies, hay, and pellets daily.
*I donate money to nearby shelters and have sponsered some dogs in the past.
*I very rarely step foot into petstores
*I have made complaints to managers of petstores. A few things were changed for the better but, it doesn't change the fact they sell animals.
*I have saved my neighbors two piggies, convinced others not to breed and to adopt, and reccomended C&C cages to every person who owns piggies or is considering owning piggies.