Coronavirus - Helping Animal Charities

 

Goodness knows what impact Coronavirus is the impact it will have on animal charities and the work they are doing, especially in the short term when they have mouths to feed and water, and medical care to give.  

So here are some ways to help:

Supporting local animal charities in your area

Find out where yours are and:
  • Foster if you can - help free up rescue space as charities will probably be receiving a lot of requests from pet owners who sadly have to surrender their pets or who even pass away from the coronavirus.
  • Donate if you can - many fundraising activities will be cancelled and these are vital ways to raise funds
  • Spread the word - on social media
  • Offer supplies – it’s amazing what animal charities need
  • Offer food for the animals (appropriate food!)
  • Contact local animal charities and see if they need volunteers e.g. walkers, drivers, admin people, wish lists on Amazon or things you could drop in to them - what do they need?
  • Make sure you have your own animals well catered for with food supplies and any veterinary needs
  • Offer to help with pet care for the self-isolated e.g. can you get anything in for them
  • See if you can do a collection box at your local supermarket for pet food and items which you could pass on to an animal charity or a food bank
  • Knit for animal charities


Animal charities abroad 

A lot of animal rescue charities abroad rely on tourists visiting and making donations to keep going and support the animals in their care.  This support is going to collapse if tourists aren't visiting and it's a very worrying time for anyone running an animal charity.  Not only could donations collapse but any volunteers coming to help may vanish as well.  These are going to be very tough times for everyone, but if you are able to help an animal charity, please do.  There's links to different animal charities around the world on this website.   You can donate online to many charities - if you find one, check they are a registered charity - it should give mention of this on their website.


Animal charities needing help

The BBC featured a news article on Furry Angels in Wuhan – here’s their facebook page – you can buy a mug through Bonfire.com and help or donate through Paypal.

There’s also the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association

The Willow Animal Sanctuary in Scotland needs donations – they help equine, farm and domestic animal sanctuary in Scotland and have over 450 animals to look after.  They are closed due to the virus and so urgently need donations.  You could sponsor an animal, pay hay costs or simply make a donation.

Paws2Rescue, of which comedian Ricky Gervais is patron, helps stray dogs in Romania. The charity is appealing on Facebook for donations to buy supplies from manufacturers as shops are running out. They have several tons of food held in reserve at manufacturers in Romania, and need to buy some of it to send out to rescuers across the country.  The situation is desperate. 

Animal Rescue Kefalonia (ARK) has hundreds of dogs and cats to care for but it is facing a lack of volunteers - people can't travel to get there - and donations. People are struggling and discarding animals.   There's a fundraiser with Just Giving here you can donate to.

More charities will be added as we hear of them.