Help homeless and lost pets at shelters by donating supplies

Did you know that you can help pets in your community with supply donations? Pet owners everywhere know that when you have pets, it requires a lot of supplies to care for them. Food, bowls, beds, linens, and toys are just a handful of the many things it takes to care for pets. Here at LHS we can be caring for up to 900 pets at a time here at our Center for Pet and in foster homes so it takes many supplies to make sure these pets are happy and healthy. Animal shelters rely on your generosity to save pets and supplies are a great way to get involved!

There are several categories of supplies that you can collect and donate to LHS that have a huge impact on saving pets. There are more details below but you can always visit our Needed Supplies webpage for a list of supplies and our online wish lists. 

Pet Food Donations

Food is one of our largest monthly expenses here at the Center for Pets. We typically need over 2,000 pounds of dry pet food and over 1,500 cans of canned food per month. The pets here are kept on a consistent diet of the Purina Chow products, Purina Cat & Kitten chows and Purina Dog and Puppy chows. They are able to eat any brand of canned food. If you have a picky pet and have an already open bag of food you can’t use we can still accept those in the original packaging. 

Any pet food that is donated that our pets can’t eat will do into our Community Pet Pantry. Last year we gave away almost 12,000 pounds of pet food from our Community Pet Pantry to pets and their families in need in our community. Help us keep our Community Pet Pantry stocked all year long!

Animal Shelter Bedding and Linen Donations

You can probably guess that we go through a lot of bedding here at LHS! Our laundry is constantly going but sometimes bedding is too soiled or used by sick pets and unable to be washed. If you are cleaning out your linen closet, the Center for Pets is the perfect place to donate those unused sheets, towels, and blankets. Our pets always appreciate cat and dog bed donations as well. 

You can also donate a comfy Kuranda bed to our pets here at the shelter here.

Enrichment Program

Shelters are a stressful place for dogs and cats. Enrichment can help! Our enrichment program includes many different things for both dogs and cats to exercise their brains. Things that help with our enrichment program include, peanut butter, enrichment toys, treats, and more! We have an Amazon wishlist dedicated to enrichment here: https://a.co/gLPTPNn

Foster Program

Our fosters are often taking care of our youngest, most vulnerable pets. Many of these pets are too young to eat regular pet food and need specialized food and supplies to grow. Our foster department has a dedicated wishlist that includes many of these items. Even if you aren’t able to foster these tiny pets, you can still help them by donating formula, bottle supplies, heartbeat toys, and more to keep them healthy and growing. https://a.co/iCNJ7xK

Thank you! We are so grateful to our community for being so involved in caring for our pets and donating supplies!

Author: Senior Manager of Operations, Amber Cabell

Saving pets at-risk of euthanasia

Did you know in 2022, LHS transferred 783 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens into our care that were at risk of euthanasia at other shelters? That’s 783 pets that were not euthanized for space or length of stay because of LHS’s transport program and were given a second chance to find happiness. There are many reasons why these pets may have been at risk; they may have been sick or injured and their originating shelter did not have the resources to provide medical care, they may have been too young for adoption and the originating shelter did not have any fosters for them to go to or adequate resources to care for them, or they may simply have been unlucky enough to end up in a shelter that is forced to euthanize for space because their community is unable to provide the resources they need to care for the number of pets they bring into the shelter’s care.

But there is one thing that every one of these 783 pets had in common. They all deserved to find happiness.

How to shelter transport programs work?

Everyday there are a myriad of shelters and volunteers organizing transports all over the country to bring pets from at-risk shelters to safety.  A smooth transport is no easy feat and requires the collaboration and cooperation of both the originating and destination shelters. Through each shelter’s point of contact, transfer paperwork is prepared and volunteers are secured to drive the pets from one location to the next. During this time, our pet care staff is working hard to prepare space for our new additions and setting them up with comfy blankets, fun toys, and tasty treats to celebrate their arrival. Once the pets arrive at LHS, our medical staff performs exams to ensure everyone is safe and sound, administers vaccines, and places them into their new, temporary suite and our adoptions team gets to work finding their new homes.

How to help shelter pets at-risk of euthanasia  

We are very fortunate to be part of a community that makes this level of lifesaving possible and allows us to help pets both inside and outside of our city. Through fostering, adopting, volunteering, and donating, we are able to continue to save at-risk pets, provide them with the care they require and unite them with the homes they deserve. For information on how you can help save lives, visit the Get Involved tab on our website https://lynchburghumane.org/

Author: Medical Manager, Becca Erdle

What is a pet microchip?

A microchip is a tiny piece of technology that carries a unique identification number. It is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted with a needle under a pet’s skin, permanently. Each chip is registered with an online database where owners link their contact information as well as their pet’s attributes.

Why should I microchip my dog or cat?

When a lost pet is found, it can be taken to a veterinary office or animal shelter where the pet’s body is scanned for a microchip. When one is present, the number appears on the scanner and is searched within the online database. The provided contact information is then used to reunite the pet with its owner! Having your pet microchipped greatly increases the chances of relocating them if ever lost. Keep in mind that every LHS pet receives a microchip prior to adoption, so join us! Microchipping allows our community to boost the likelihood of reunification between lost pets and their families. 

How do I get my pet microchipped?

Most veterinary offices offer microchipping services and so does the Lynchburg Humane Society! The procedure is quick and provides peace of mind knowing your pet has a permanent form of identification. You can make your microchip appointment at our clinic here. 

Once your pet has a microchip, remember to update your contact information regularly. Without up-to-date contact information, a microchip cannot serve its vital purpose.

As added protection, you can register your pet with Petco Love Lost! Petco Love Lost uses pet facial recognition software to match lost pet photos with found pet photos to reunite pets with their families nation wide. Sign up for free on their website.