How to Help Dogs in Need
To help dogs in need, donate money to a dog shelter or rescue group, which will help them secure the resources and support they need. If you want to make an even bigger impact, start a fundraiser in your area, like a bake sale or car wash, and donate the funds to a dog shelter or charity. Alternatively, you can volunteer your time at a shelter or rescue group for a more hands-on approach with the dogs. If you have the time and space, consider fostering a sick or injured dog in your home until it can be rehomed.
Apply to be a volunteer. Many shelters and rescue groups are in dire need of volunteers, and will provide training for you once they approve your application. To be sure that you meet the volunteering requirements of your local shelter or rescue organization before applying, call for information or visit their website to see if you fit the criteria. Volunteers can be in charge of many tasks, including walking dogs, teaching basic obedience, moving dogs in and out of their cages, cleaning, and meeting with potential adoptive owners. For instance, the Animal Humane Society, the leading animal welfare organization in the Upper Midwest, outlines on its website that it requires applicants to be at least 16 years old, willing to commit to a full year of volunteering (at least once every other week), and be able to lift up to 20 lbs. If you can't commit to volunteering regularly, offer your services at busy times of the year, like around the holidays, when the staff members may want to take breaks to be with their families. Make a monetary donation. Making a monetary donation to a dog shelter or rescue group, which run on donations for the most part, is the most straightforward and simple way to help dogs in need. As a general rule, most organizations accept donations by mail, in person, or online via credit card. Donations are usually tax deductible, and can be made on a monthly basis in many cases. For example, the Humane Society of the United States allows you to make a one-time donation, or set up a monthly donation of a certain amount on their website via credit card or PayPal. The Human Society also accepts donations made in memory of pets or persons. Donate useful things. In addition to monetary donations, shelters and animal rescue groups can benefit greatly from the donation of different items to help care for their dogs. Such items could include food, blankets, dog beds, dog toys, treats, collars, leashes, grooming products, laundry detergent, and towels. Call your local shelter or rescue group beforehand to make sure that they will accept all of the items you have to donate, and ask when during business hours you should bring your donation. Some rescue groups, like the San Diego Humane Society, allow you to make donations of specific gifts on shelters' Amazon.com wish lists. This can be done from your home and shipped directly to the shelter or center in question. Raise money. If you are interested in raising money for the shelter or rescue group you are supporting, inquire about hosting a third party fundraising event. Whether you want to undertake the fundraiser on your own or collaborate with a local business, call or visit the organization's website for more information (the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor, MI, for instance, has a fundraising questionnaire on their website to be completed online or printed and mailed). Some good ideas for community fundraising events may include: Bake sales Car washes Fundraising walks or races Golf tournaments Offer transport. Shelter and rescue groups, especially small ones, require transport of dogs to veterinary appointments, adoption events, and adoptive homes. Beyond that, hundreds of dogs are transported around the country every week from high kill shelters to no kill organizations. Look online for groups and shelters in your area that require transport volunteers. The Reach Out Rescue and Resources organization in Maryland, for example, has an application form for drivers on their website, and rely on these volunteers to help dogs who are travelling anywhere from a few hundred miles to as much as 1000 miles, broken down into legs of 50-75 miles. Foster a dog. An excellent way to find a dog a good home is to foster it in the meantime. Foster owners or families provide dogs with a temporary home, food, water, socialization, basic grooming, and exercise until it is ready for a forever home. Foster animals are typically sick, injured, or juvenile, so instructions provided by the shelter for its care must be followed precisely. Call the ASPCA, Humane Society, or a local shelter to inquire about their foster programs, or apply online to foster a pet. For example, the ASPCA in New York accepts serious fostering candidates over 21 years of age, provides training, and eventually finds homes for the animals being fostered. Adopt a dog. If you are ready to accept a new pet into your home, adopting a dog in need is the most personal way to help. Visit your local shelter to get to know adoptable dogs, or look online for listings of available dogs in your area. Visit http://www.aspca.org/adopt-pet/adoptable-dogs-your-local-shelter to search by state, and by sex and breed of dogs. Other popular websites, such as petfinder.com, provide listings of adoptable pets from reputable adoption groups. Host an adoption event. To hold an adoption drive, approach one or more local shelters or rescue groups and see how many adoptable dogs you will be dealing with. Pick a date and time, find a venue, plan a budget, and purchase necessary supplies (e.g. folding tables and chairs, trash bags and trash cans, cleaning supplies). Ask local business owners for contributions to the event, ask the rescue organizations for flyers or advertising templates, and share the event with the public on social media. Recruit volunteers for the event through social media, word of mouth, flyers, and by contacting large organizations (e.g. church groups, volunteer organizations, schools). Share information via social media. Use your social media accounts (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr) to bring awareness to dogs in need by sharing fundraising events and adoption profiles for local rescue organizations. Set your privacy settings for these posts to public so that they can be shared again and viewed by as many people as possible. Posts with cute pictures or videos are especially likely to be viewed, circulated, and shared widely. Sign or distribute petitions. Signing or circulating petitions is a good way to help protect animal rights by proposing specific changes (e.g. legislature to outlaw puppy mills). Make sure that the petition is aimed towards the appropriate decision-makers, details its cause and goal articulately, and emphasizes the importance of getting signatures. Start and share online petitions on a website like Change.org, or circulate a printed petition throughout your community. Visit the Human Society of the U.S.' website at http://www.humanesociety.org/about/departments/legislation/ for more information about state and federal legislation that may support or inspire a petition. Be vigilant. Be on the lookout for stray dogs, or dogs that you suspect might be abused or neglected. Contact local no kill rescue organizations if you see a stray that needs care and shelter. Call the police or an animal advocacy group if you witness a dog being harmed or mistreated. Visit the Animal Legal & Historical Center of Michigan University's website at https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-reporting-animal-cruelty-united-states to see a comprehensive table detailing where to report animal abuse, state-by-state. 
Apply to be a volunteer. Make a monetary donation. Donate useful things. Raise money. Offer transport. Foster a dog. Adopt a dog. Host an adoption event. Share information via social media. Sign or distribute petitions. Be vigilant. 