6 Ways to Celebrate National Rescue Dog Day
Give a rescue dog a little extra love today. May 20 is National Rescue Dog Day, in honor of the 3.1 million very good doggos waiting in shelters to find their forever homes.
Here are six ways to celebrate National Rescue Dog Day.
Research dog breeds: You might be drawn to short legs, wild hair and floppy ears but finding your next best friend is about more than looks.
Browse dog breeds on Wisdom Panel to learn more about the temperaments, exercise and grooming needs and common health issues of hundreds of dog breeds. The information can help you narrow your search for a new best friend.
Adopt: Ready to welcome a new four-legged family member? Adoption is a popular option The ASPCA reports that 23 percent of the pets in the United States were adopted from animal shelters or humane societies. You can search for adoptable pets at Adopt-A-Pet (and narrow the search by breed and age) or visit your local shelter to meet dogs eager to find their “fur-ever” families.
Volunteer at the local shelter: Local shelters need dedicated volunteers to help with tasks ranging from walking, bathing and grooming dogs to cleaning kennels and helping with transport. You’ll provide more than just labor: Spending time with shelter dogs helps with socialization, too, making them more adoptable. Bonus: You’ll also be the first to meet the newest dogs available for adoption.
Foster: Fostering saves lives. It takes dogs from stressful shelter environments and gets them into loving homes. Shelters provide all of the supplies and your job is to help dogs learn basic manners and give them all the cuddles until they are adopted. Fostering might be one of the most rewarding volunteer jobs—just ask a foster parent!
Not able to foster? Remember to share social media posts; it’s a free, easy way to raise awareness about adoptable dogs and increase the odds they’ll find loving, permanent homes.
Donate: Make a donation to show your support for local shelters (and shelter dogs). Donations help provide basics like food and vet care while shelter dogs wait to be adopted and support important programs like spay/neuter initiatives and community pet food pantries that reduce unwanted litters and prevent dogs from being surrendered to shelters if owners can’t afford food and supplies. Every donation, no matter how small, is important.
Spoil your shelter pet: A new toy, collar, leash or yummy treats are great ways to spoil your shelter pet.
There is no better way to say “I love you” to the dog who rescued you than giving them the gift of Whistle Health, Health & GPS, and Health & GPS+. It’s more than a gift for your dog; it also provides peace of mind. All three smart devices track health behaviors like eating, drinking, sleeping, licking and scratching that could be signs of health issues and monitor fitness levels and allow you to set activity goals based on your dog’s breed, weight and age. Health & GPS includes location tracking with real time updates every 15 seconds and free vet expertise via chat, calls, videos and emails—and Health & GPS+ includes all of those features plus switchable styles and two rechargeable battery packs.
No matter how you celebrate National Shelter Dog Day, don’t forget to post photos of your rescued dog (or the dogs available for adoption at your local shelter) on social media using the hashtag #nationaldogrescueday.
