Have you ever wondered what you could do to help the massive population of homeless pets? There are so many pets out there right now that are living in shelters without enough money to buy things like blankets and pet beds. These animals need your help. I realize you can’t adopt all the animals and give them forever homes, but there are things you can do to help.
I recently learned that most pet shelters don’t have budgets for any blankets, and as a result, dogs live on hard, cement floors, and cats live in wired cages 24 hours a day.
There is an organization called Operation Blankets of Love that is working to gather donations to help. Right now, they are in urgent need of new (or mostly new)…
- Blankets & Pet Beds
- Towels
- Collars, Leashes & Harnesses
- Stainless Steel Bowls
- Crates & Carriers
- Dog/Cat Food & Treats
- Cat Litter
- NO PILLOWS, CUSHIONS, OR BED SHEETS.
Operation Blankets of Love provides pet supplies and food to over 1,000 homeless animals in shelters, rescue groups, and pets of the homeless. They currently operate out of California. They are a licensed 501 (c)(c3) “nonprofit,” so that means all of your donations are tax-deductible.
They are a nationally recognized animal welfare emergency and disaster relief organization dedicated to ending animal homelessness.
If you don’t live in California, you can visit their website to speak to them about mailing in a donation.
If you really want to make sure you can help, check out a website like AliExpress. It’s this website where you can get really cheap stuff from China. Sure, it may take weeks to arrive, but the prices on this stuff are insane.
You can get 100 cat or small dog collars for $34.20! (here) That’s less than $.35 each.
I went through their website and picked out a few items that you might want to consider buying to donate.
- There are some cage mats for dogs and cats
- Pet Blankets (multiple sizes)
- Stainless Steel Feeding Bowls
- Adjustable Harness with Leash
- Plush pet toys (A package of 10)
- Cat Toys
I didn’t put any cotton towels on the list because I think you can probably get them cheaper in the US at like the dollar store. I was at Dollar Tree not that long ago, and they had cotton bath towels for $1 each if you buy a case (12 towels per case). That was way cheaper than anything I found from Aliexpress.
In fact, Dollar Tree has a whole Pet Supplies section on their website you might want to check out.
If you don’t want to donate to OBOL, which serves the California area shelters, you can call an animal shelter in your area and see what items they need. They almost all need blankets, towels, and collars. If you aren’t sure where the nearest animal shelter is to you, simply Google “Animal Shelter Near Me,” and Google will point you in the right direction.
There are numerous ways you can help the massive population of homeless pets. While you may not be able to adopt all the animals and give them forever homes, you can still take action to make a difference. Operation Blankets of Love is an organization that urgently needs donations of various pet supplies to provide for over 1,000 homeless animals in shelters, rescue groups, and pets of the homeless. You can contribute to their mission of ending animal homelessness by donating to them. Additionally, if you don’t live in California, you can explore their website to learn about mailing in a donation. Another option is to contact an animal shelter in your area and inquire about their needed items. Blankets, towels, and collars are commonly requested items by shelters. Remember, even a small contribution can go a long way in improving the lives of these animals.
