You might think that the only way you can help animals in need is to make room for them in your home. Adopting a pet can change an animal's life, but you can still give animals in need a paw up, even if you can't bring them home with you. These three stories of animal do-gooders will not only warm your heart: they'll also show you how you can use what you've already got to help pets in need near you.
1. Ask a Kid; Save a Pet
Nothing warms the heart like a kid's love for an animal. 6 year old, Roman McConn, earned his Animal Helper badge with this video his mom took of him, asking people to find a home for a dog named Legend, who'd been passed over at his shelter for a while. Roman's mom knew that if someone saw how much love Roman had for the pup, they'd be touched enough to bring Legend into their home - and it worked . Soon after the video was posted, Roman the Yellow Lab had a family of his own, all thanks to a little boy who just wanted his friend to have a home.
Roman and his mom also help other abandoned dogs and cats with their mission, Project Freedom Ride. To find out how you can help them help more pets, head to their website, and keep up with their efforts by following them on Facebook. You might even be inspired enough to team up with a kid you know and help make a difference for pets together.
2. Use What You Know for Good
Tree Surgeons Tom Otto and Sean Sears know a lot about trees - it's part of their job. One of the things they learned: A lot of cats that get stuck in trees actually can't get down by themselves and often stay in them, too scared to come down, for a long time. So, the two men decided to use their ropes and tree smarts experience to rescue Washington state cats from too-high trees and reunite them with their families - and take stray cats stuck in trees to places where they can find families of their own.
Keep up with their mission to give "every cat the chance to be rescued" by following and supporting their non-profit Canopy Cat Rescue. And if you know of a cat stuck in a tree but doesn't live in Washington, Tom and Sean have tips on how you can get them down to safety, no matter where you live, here.
3. A Little Glitter Goes a Long Way
When photographer Erin Einbender realized that spayed and neutered dogs at Chicago shelters were passed by visitors because of their healing cones, she thought of a way to make the "Cone of Shame" a reason for visitors to stay instead. She and some friends got together and decorated a bunch of E-collars with stick on gems, paper butterflies, sparkly pom-poms, and more, turning those "Cones of Shame" into "Cones of Fame".
After giving the shelter pups the specially designed cones, Erin took posh pictures of the adoptable dogs, and soon after, all the pups photographed found forever homes - proving that a little bit of love and a little bit of pizzazz can go a pretty long way. Keep up with Erin's work to help shelter dogs by following the Cones of Fame Facebook page, here!
Do you have a rescue pet at home? We love seeing pics of our fans' pets! Share them with us on our Facebook page, @TheListShowTV.
