The following are some activities you can do to make a difference in the lives of Mutt-i-grees. Remember to ask for your parent or guardian’s permission (and assistance, if needed).

  1. Make cat toys from brightly colored yarn, and donate them to your local shelter or rescue group (check out our Pinterest page for ideas).
  2. Use this recipe for homemade dog biscuits and donate your treats. Or hold a dog biscuit sale to support your local shelter or rescue organization.
  3. Hold a pet supply drive! Your local shelter or rescue group can always use more canned pet food, pet blankets and beds, cat litter, pet toys and cleaning supplies.
  4. Make posters that raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption. Include simple messages such as, “Adopt, don’t shop!” Be sure to get permission from local community centers and stores before hanging them up.
  5. Use this pattern to make no-sew pet blankets to donate to your local shelter.
  6. Hold a coin drive at your school. Have students vote for their favorite pet by having two separate collection jars – one called “Pennies for Pups” and another called “Coins for Kitties.” Find out who wins! Woof! Meow! Grrr!
  7. Volunteer your time at schools, libraries or other locations by reading books that spread the word about the importance of adopting Mutt-i-grees and saving lives. For example, kids of all ages (and grown-ups, too) love Scooby-Doo, Who Are You?, which tells the story of how a famous cartoon character was adopted!
  8. Hold a fundraiser for your local shelter or rescue group, donating your work or talent to the cause of saving shelter pets’ lives! Make a fundraiser of the jobs you normally enjoy doing for extra spending money – things like garden or lawn work for your neighbors, selling lemonade, or face painting. Collaborate with your friends. Utilize a talent (like puppetry) to put on a show. Or, make hand-made bracelets.
  9. Find out if a local grocery store will let you decorate paper grocery bags – and embellish those with messages about the importance of pet adoption, such as “Save a life; adopt a shelter pet today!”
  10. Help your local shelter or rescue group adopt out their pets by posting their photos, along with creative stories, poems or drawings, at a local store. Be sure to get permission from the business first – and, as always, make certain that you have your parent or guardian’s permission!
  11. Share photos of adoptable pets on your Facebook page or social networking site as a way to promote adoptions at your local shelter.
  12. As a young advocate of Mutt-i-grees, be sure to tell your family members that if they’re thinking of bringing a pet into your home, adopting from your local shelter – and saving a life– is not only the right choice; it should be the only choice! And be sure to have your pet spayed or neutered to prevent pet overpopulation, which results in the needless suffering of unwanted animals.