Lend a helping paw!

According to the Humane Society, between 6-8 million cats and dogs enter US shelters each year, and over 4 million are euthanized in the shelters. To give a comparison of people, it's as if the entire population of Sweden would be put in jail each year, or the entire population of Norway would be put to death each year.

Funny enough, strays have a better chance than owner surrenders. Pets surrendered to shelters by their owners can be put down immediately. Many shelters have no-kill policies. Be aware that they often cooperate with kill shelters, and if the shelter overflows the animals will be moved to a kill shelter. Moral of the story: a pet is a commitment for life. Don't give them up to a shelter!

Some people think it's a great idea to put pets out on Craigslist as "Free to good owner." Please, don't do that. Just... don't.

Many people want to help, but might not be ready for the lifetime commitment of adoption. Fostering is an awesome way to help an animal in need. When you foster, you work together with a rescue. They usually pay for vet visits and heartworm medication, and the foster only has to pay for food. (Some rescues even provide the food.) Some pets just need a place to stay overnight while waiting for a transport, others stay with their foster parents for weeks or even months. It depends on the animal's situation, and on what the foster is ready to give. To learn more about this, contact your local rescue, or a breed specific rescue.

If you don't want to foster, for whatever reason, rescues always look for other forms of help. It doesn't have to be money - many need pet toys, blankets, old sheets, or towels.

Another great way to help is sharing shelter animals on Facebook and Twitter. If people don't know that specific cat or dog is there, the animal will die in the shelter. Exposure helps save lives.