Animal welfare organizations work to improve the lives of animals used in various ways. From helping stray pets find new homes to assisting farms in raising livestock in conditions that aim to reduce their suffering, these organizations are essential to the well-being of animals.

They also work to strengthen national and international wildlife protection, promote humane alternatives to wildlife capture, and foster species-appropriate housing and compassionate care and handling. These groups help spare tens of billions of animals annually from pain and suffering.

Helping Animals

If you’re passionate about animals, donating to animal welfare organizations can make a big difference in the lives of thousands of pets and wildlife. These nonprofits work to improve the lives of animals used in scientific research, food production, and various other ways.

Aside from helping the animals, many organizations, like Humane Society of New York, promote ethical animal agriculture practices. These include certification programs requiring farms to raise animals in conditions aimed at reducing their suffering and lobbying campaigns that push large corporations to change how they treat farm animals.

If you want to help animals but don’t have much time, volunteering for an animal welfare organization is a great way to get involved. You’ll meet people and build relationships while positively impacting the world.

Raising Awareness

Animal welfare involves various issues concerning human and nonhuman animals. This includes how animals are raised for food, entertainment, or research and the quality of their lives in human care.

Animal shelters are essential to animal welfare, as they serve as a temporary home for animals that may otherwise be euthanized. These organizations do excellent work to help these animals find loving homes and ensure their safety.

Other animal welfare charities focus on the environment and wildlife. These organizations protect and conserve the habitats of endangered species, support sustainable agriculture practices, and promote conservation. Moreover, these organizations are first responders and leaders in education programs that help people learn how to respect and protect animals.

Educating People

Many animals in shelters are abandoned or neglected by their owners, and if they can be rescued and put up for adoption, they have a better chance of finding a home. Animal welfare organizations help stray pets find homes, spay and neuter unwanted animals, promote pet ownership, and provide behavioral rehabilitation for animals with special needs.

When people are educated about the ways they can help other people and animals, it inspires compassion and empathy. That can lead to humane education, which often addresses broader issues than animal welfare, like responsible pet care, the environment, and the interconnections between animals and humans.

Humane education programs teach children the importance of compassion and respect for all living things. This helps children develop a strong desire to help animals, people, and the environment and strengthens their emotional health.

Helping Shelters

Animal shelters are nonprofit organizations that provide animals with food, water, medical care, and a safe place to live. They also help rehome those animals that have been abandoned or neglected.

Volunteering is a great way to give back. Many shelters need a variety of skilled people in their team to run efficiently, so check with your local shelter to find out what skills they need and how you can help.

Accountants: Animal shelters need accounting specialists to stay organized about fees paid by adopters, donations, and grants. They also need bookkeepers to keep track of expenses and ensure they pay veterinarians on time.

Some shelters have difficulty arranging transport for their animals to vet appointments or rescue facilities. If you have a car, donating your time transporting animals can free up other shelter volunteers to do more valuable work.

Pet experts: If you’re a dog trainer or have experience with cats, volunteering your expertise to do behavior evaluations for new arrivals is an important task that helps the shelter. It can give them a better picture of what type of home each animal will be best suited for and how to prepare them.