Everyone loves animals, especially cats and dogs. Dogs are a man’s best friend. And cats are your fuzzy loving companion. Some animals, like cats and dogs are put in animal shelters. What is an animal shelter? Well it’s a home for lost and abandoned animals. It helps provide a nice safe and secure environment for the animals. It also is a great way to rescue and save them.

Many people have seen those sad and upsetting commercials of the animals that get abused or are lost and need a home. It breaks everyone’s heart to see such cruelty and devastating pictures that are included in these commercials. That’s why around the world there are approximately 5,000 independently run shelters that are open to donate to help these poor homeless animals. In the United States the Georgia Animal Protection Act of 1986, provided for the licensing and regulation of animal shelters, so it has minimum standards of care for the animals. This act also includes pet shops, stables, and kennels.

There are many animal shelters around our area, such as Saratoga County Animal Shelter, Montgomery County SPCA, Helping Paws Rescue, and Adirondack Save-A-Stray. Each of these shelters has something special about them. When it comes to Saratoga County Animal Shelter there mission is to protect and promote safety care for their animals. You can also help out if you are 18 or older. They are looking for at least two hours of your time a week. For Montgomery County SPCA, there goal is to find a nice loving family and home for the animals there. You can also volunteer your time to help or just contribute some money to help these poor animals that are in need of a safe home. We also have Helping Paws Rescue, which is having a Chili and Chowder Festival, Sunday November 4th (from 12pm-4pm) at the Perthshire Banquet Hall. There will be Irish music, and some of the animals from the rescue will be attending and visiting there! And last we have Adirondack Save-A-Stray, which is open 7 days a week; Sunday through Monday 11:30am-4:00pm and Tuesday through Saturday 11:30am-6:00pm. This shelter is also a no-kill shelter! It takes mostly strays from kill shelters around the United States and Puerto Rico.

Overall animal shelters are there for helping these animals. Whether you donate money to the shelters, volunteer, or bring home one of the animals in need. You are making a difference for that animal’s life! To contact any of the above shelters go to, www.adoptapet.com and click Find a Shelter or Rescue Group. Then write down the zipcode of the shelter you choose and the name of the shelter. Make a difference, safe an animal’s life!

http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animals/animal-shelters.aspx
http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics.aspx
www.adoptapet.com