Celebrate National Pet Month: Beyond the Treats and Toys
National Pet Month offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate the furry, feathered, or scaled companions who bring immeasurable joy to our lives. While extra treats and belly rubs are always appreciated by our pets, this special time also presents a chance to extend that love beyond our own animal friends. Whether you’re a seasoned pet parent or an animal enthusiast without a pet of your own, there are meaningful ways to honor the human-animal bond that benefits the broader animal community.
Become a Foster Pet Parent
Fostering offers a rewarding middle ground if you’ve ever considered adding a pet to your family but aren’t ready for a decade-plus commitment. Animal shelters nationwide are perpetually overcrowded, and by temporarily housing a shelter animal, you provide them with an stress-free environment to decompress and showcase their true personality. This invaluable service increases their adoptability while freeing up kennel space for another animal. Most shelters cover medical expenses and provide supplies, making it an accessible way to make a genuine difference in an animal’s life.
Become a Registered Therapy Animal Team (You and Your Pet)
If your pet is calm and enjoys meeting new people, consider channeling these qualities into therapy work. You and your pet could volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and more if you become a registered therapy animal team. One place to get started is at Pet Partners. Pet Partners aims to improve human health and well-being through the human-animal bond. Pet Partners do not limit their therapy animal work to just dogs and cats. Other species eligible for evaluation (for therapy animal work) include well-behaved equines, rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas and alpacas, birds, pigs, and rats. Once certified, teams can volunteer at facilities that match their comfort level and availability.
Make Animal Beds and Toys
Channel your creative energy into making beds, toys, or enrichment items for animals awaiting adoption. Simple no-sew fleece blankets comfort nervous shelter pets and can go home with them upon adoption, carrying a familiar scent to their new environment. Homemade cat toys stuffed with catnip or dog puzzle toys crafted from household items provide crucial mental stimulation in the shelter environment, potentially reducing stress-related behaviors that deter potential adopters. Check out this article, 19 DIY Dog Beds Your Pooch Will Want to Lounge in All Day Long from Country Living.
Participate In Pet-Friendly Athletic Events
Lace-up your shoes and bring your four-legged running partner to one of the many pet-friendly races that support animal welfare causes. These events range from casual 1K “fun runs” appropriate for beginners to more challenging 5K or 10K events for seasoned athletes. Many events feature festive atmospheres with costume contests, vendor booths, and adoption opportunities, creating a community celebration of the human-animal bond while generating funds for animal welfare organizations. One place to search for pet-friendly races and events near you is at ACTIVE.com.
Treat Your Pet to Gourmet Good Food
Want to surprise your devoted dog with tasty homemade treats? Here are 12 Recipes for Homemade Dog Treats from Brit + Co. Your dog will be doing tricks for these treats!
Note: Before making homemade treats for your dog, read this list of People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets from ASPCA. Some ingredients, like xylitol, might be used in foods like peanut butter. You may also want to check with your dog’s veterinarian once you decide on the treats you want to prepare for your dog.
However you choose to celebrate National Pet Month, remember that even modest contributions matter in the landscape of animal welfare. The volunteer who fosters one litter of kittens might inspire a friend to do the same. The therapy dog that brings smiles to nursing home residents creates moments of joy that staff members carry home. The handcrafted toys provide crucial enrichment that helps a shelter dog maintain adoptability. In this interconnected web of compassion, your participation creates ripples that extend far beyond the month.
