Homeless Animals Day

Saturday, August 17th is International Homeless Animals Day, an event that the International Society for Animal Rights started. The International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) is an animal welfare group that advocates for animal rights through education and legislation. One of the group’s main programs is related to reducing the deaths of dogs and cats that occur due to overpopulation. 

Each year on the third Saturday of August, International Homeless Animals Day is meant to draw attention to the issue of pet overpopulation.  Events are hosted throughout the United States in an effort to raise awareness. These events range from adoption fairs to dog walks, spay and neuter clinics, informational talks, and more. 

This year, in honor of International Homeless Animals Day, we thought we’d share a few simple ways you can join the movement to help. 

How You Can Help Prevent Pet Overpopulation

If we can control the pet population we can reduce the number of homeless animals and, therefore, the number of pets in shelters. Of course, this is an international issue, but we can begin the work close to home.

Read on to learn how you can help!  

Spay and Neuter your Pets

One of the most effective ways to reduce the number of homeless animals is by spaying and neutering our pets. 

Cats and dogs can quickly reproduce, leading to large numbers of puppies and kittens that pet owners may be unable to care for. Inevitably, these pets can wind up on the streets and in shelters. 

Foster a Shelter Pet

Fostering a shelter pet has all kinds of benefits, including reducing the number of pets in shelters. If you can give a temporary home to a shelter pet, the shelter can use that space to house another animal, thus increasing their capacity while avoiding overcrowding.

Additionally, pets who live in foster homes may be more appealing to potential adopters. This is because the foster parent can offer valuable insights into the pet’s personality and help them adjust to life in a home. 

Pets in foster homes may be less stressed than pets in shelters because they have a more calm environment, as well as room to move around. As a result, prospective adopters can get a better idea of how the pet will fit into their own home, which helps them choose the right pet for their family.

Microchip your Pets

Do not under-estimate the power of microchipping your pets! 

If your pet happens to end up in a shelter, a microchip will make it easy for shelter staff to determine where he lives and how to get in touch with you. 

Better yet, since most veterinarians can scan microchips, your pet may be returned to you before he even gets to an animal shelter. On the flip side, if you encounter a lost pet, all you have to do is head to the nearest vet’s office to check for a microchip. In many cases, you’ll have the pet reunited with his owner in no time! 

As you can see, microchips play a powerful role in keeping pets out of animal shelters. 

Become an Animal Rescue Advocate

Advocating for animal rescue is another way to help reduce the number of homeless animals and prevent pet overpopulation. 

The best thing about animal rescue advocacy is that there are all kinds of ways you can incorporate it into your life. You could volunteer at your local shelter, help coordinate pet adoption fairs, share details about adoptable pets on social media, set up a recurring monthly donation, or anything else you can think of to promote the cause.

The more awareness we bring to animal rescues and the pets they help, the easier it will be for them to get funding and find homes for the pets in need!

Final Thoughts

Pet overpopulation can be a critical issue around the globe, leading to homeless animals. While this problem can’t be solved overnight, being aware of the issue and taking small steps to combat pet overpopulation can help. The tips we shared above are a wonderful way to get started, but don’t shy away from thinking bigger!