Some people prefer to offer financial support, some people prefer to help hands-on! Listed below are 99 ways you can help the dogs! It doesn't really matter how much you help, as long as you help...

The doggies thank you!!!

1. Donate a bag of food (Nutro Mx or Science Diet), and/ or dog biscuits for the dogs to munch on!
2. Donate a dog bed, blankets, towels, or potty pads so the dogs will be warm and comfy every night!
3. Ask family and friends to donate old towels and blankets; local motels/ hotels also have many good towels and sheets they dispose on a regular basis. If you don't mind askin', they won't mind givin'.
4. Donate MONEY toward medical, shelter, or food expenses. That's still our biggest expenses every month.
5. Donate a toy; The dogs love Kong-toys and stuffed animals. Please don't hesitate to bring all stuffed toys your children don't want anymore! That's the first thing they love to snuggle up to when they get out of local shelters!
6. Donate a crate, x-pen or baby gates. We always need them to transport dogs safely and keep them secure at mobile adoptions.
7. Donate a stainless food or water dish; or stainless bucket.
8. Donate a leash/ collar for small dogs. A Halti or gentle lead would be great too!
9. Host a get-together or party and ask guests to bring a dog toy. Have a "Save a Dog" Party. Celebrate how our community is helping Hearts for Hounds save lives (over 12,000 dogs since 1997)...and many more each day!
10. Host "Tea & Biscuits" events; Tea for people and Biscuits for their pets. We're sure it'd be a big hit!
11. Ask people to donate money to charity instead of buying you a gift on your birthday. We promise you would feel wonderful about it!
12. Ask for donation certificates in honor of your anniversary or birthday.
13. Ask for donation certificates for the holidays. It's all about giving right?
14. Ask for donation certificates in memory of a deceased pet or family member. What a unique way to celebrate a pet lover's life!
15. Pay for one dog to be groomed. They LOVE to look pretty!
16. Donate some grooming supplies shampoos, combs, brushes, etc. After all, ongoing maintenance to look pretty is not that easy! The dogs love to get dolled up every morning to meet their potential family!
17. Donate a hair dryer you don't want anymore. Some dogs have to style their hair too!
18. Write "thank you" notes or make calls to our supporters.
19. Help fold and stuff newsletters twice a year.
20. Ask your vet if we can put up a sign in their office.
21. Encourage your vet to offer discounts to local rescues.
22. Ask your local community stores (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.) for donations of damaged package items. i.e. laundry detergent, bleach, cleaning supplies, paper towels, etc. You'd be surprised what we can salvage and use!
23. Pick up donated items from individuals or stores; bring them to us at one of our events.
24. Look out for dog items from garage sales and offer to take them for donation when the sale is over.
25. Donate time inputting information into our database. Yep! The dogs haven't learned how to type yet! Not to mention how to surf the web!
26. Donate the use of your scanner, digital camera, or a photocopier.
27. Donate office supplies such as paper, pens, pencils, stamps, etc.
28. Ask people to visit our website.
29. Donate a gift certificate of a pet store or local stores.
30. Donate a raffle item for our fundraising events.
31. Donate flea stuff (Advantage, Revolution, etc.).
32. Donate pet medication you no longer need.
33. Pay for boarding fees for us to board a dog when we run out of room.
34. Bake some homemade doggie biscuits.
35. Ask us how you can put a link on your website for Hearts for Hounds.
36. Donate a portion of your company profit to support the dogs.
37. Ask for contact information IF people are interested in receiving information about us.
38. Ask people to sign up for newsletters at our mobile adoption events.
39. Help at mobile adoption events; make sure the dogs are safe, kids not sticking their fingers in pens, and dogs have water and clean blankets at all times.
40. Inform us when there are fundraising opportunities at local schools.
41. Gather soda cans or plastic bottles from friends and neighbors, recycle, and donate the money.
42. Ask kids to gather unwanted stuffed animals or dog toys from classmates.
43. Organize a toy drive at your next PTA meeting; or towels, soda cans, and plastic bottles.
44. Talk to your friends and organize a fundraising event; big or small.
45. Donate toward a spay or neuter surgery.
46. Donate money so that we can buy vaccines for the dogs.
47. Write a column for your local newspaper, corporate or club newsletter. Tell people what charity you're supporting and why! Share your patient for animals!
48. Offer your professional connection to help rescues network and meet people. We love animals! And we would love to make friends with people who love animals too!
49. Write a grant. Help out with the extra projects waiting for funding!
50. Research on the web and see if there are any funding opportunities to benefit animal welfare.
51. Maintain web site listings/showing available dogs.
52. Help organize and run fundraising events. A bigger fundraising event once a year. Great for school teachers who have the summer off!
53. Help with office work once a month.
54. Donate money to microchip a rescued dog.
55. Loan your carpet steam cleaner to someone who's fostering.
56. Donate a bottle of bleach, cleaning products, or paper towels.
57. Donate a heavy duty water hose, duct tape, and zip-ties…help refill our emergency repair kit!
58. Donate a privacy tarp. Some of the dogs are shy with "bathroom" time!
59. Pay for a delivery of gravel.
60. Pay for propane expenses during winter time.
61. Pay for utility expenses.
62. Lend your video camera so we can feature dogs on the website.
63. Help manage web related marketing.
64. Organize an obedience training class for your neighbors and friends. Ask your local trainer to donate his/ her time. Dogs are given to the shelter often because they "misbehave". Many times, they are just misunderstood!
65. Help a foster family clean up the yard (yes, we all have to scoop poop).
66. Pay a house-cleaning service to do the spring cleaning for someone who fosters.
67. Provide a shoulder to cry on when the rescue person is overwhelmed.
68. Smile and give a foster parent or volunteer a hug!
69. Lend your artistic talents to help with newsletter, fundraising events or our website.
70. Offer your organizational or office skills for special events and office work!
71. Encourage family and friends to spay/ neuter their pets.
72. Go to local businesses and solicit donations for fundraising events.
73. Hold a yard sale and donate the proceeds. You'd surprised how much stuff you have laying around the house. Wouldn't it be satisfying to know that it gets to be put to good use?
74. Hold a block estate sale and donate proceeds; get neighbors involved.
75. Bring a cake to work and ask for a minimum $2 donation for a slice.
76. Put out a donation jar at your desk/ or lounge area. Ask your boss first, of course...
77. Volunteer a couple of hours a month to put together adoption paperwork.
78. Volunteer to help with miscellaneous tasks for special events.
79. Donate a gas card.
80. Pay for an ad in your local/metropolitan paper to help place dogs.
81. Talk to magazines and media about doing a story on Hearts for Hounds.
82. Generate awareness for the importance of rescuing a pet.
83. Get some friends together to build/repair a kennel.
84. Encourage friends and family not to buy; but to adopt a pet instead. There are many, many sweetie pies at the shelter waiting to find a loving home!
85. Show kids how to become responsible pet owners.
86. Make financial arrangements in your will to cover the cost of your pets, rather than have your pet end up in a shelter.
87. Make a bequest in your will to the rescue of your choice.
88. Donate your unwanted automobiles, and/ or boats to a charity of your choice.
89. Donate your professional services as an accountant or lawyer.
90. Donate other services if you run your own business.
91. Donate printing services if you have a print shop, or have a friend who does.
92. Donate banners if you own a banner shop or have a friend who does.
93. Donate marketing services. We always need help in marketing!
94. Donate sewing talents; patch all ripped blankets.
95. Donate your services if you are a handyman or woman.
96. Organize a rescued dog picnic or other event to raise awareness.
97. Donate a computer or TV or VCR for office use/ training videos.
98. Donate sheets of linoleum or carpet scraps for crates.
99. Sponsor a dog until they find a home. They would be grateful to have shelter and food for the time they are with us!

We hope this offers enough suggestions on how you can help! We're open to new ideas. As always, every penny counts at Hearts for Hounds. If everyone will commit to one of the items above, we will be able to focus our funds and energy on saving another life from the shelter! The dogs appreciate it and give you lotza kisses! It really does take a village to save a life!