During a recession, animal shelters and rescue groups get fewer donations, less money from grants and governments and more people drop off or abandon their animals because they can't afford them. My project is to help them through this by raising money and collecting some of the things that shelters and foster families need but don't often get.

What I'm Doing

  • I'm collecting towels and blankets from people and businesses for the shelters and foster families to use as bedding.
  • I'm collecting toys, treats, and other “extras” that shelters and foster families might not get for their animals. I've written to manufacturers and local stores for donations.
  • I’m collecting other needed items for shelters, like laundry detergent, baby wipes, and high quality cat and dog treats and food.
  • I'm selling vet-approved, homemade organic dog treats to raise money. If you don't have a dog, I'll make regular cookies instead. The money raised, along with some of the money I get for my Bar Mitzvah will go to my designated shelter and rescue group. I'm hoping to raise at least $250 for each of them.

Who I'm Helping

I've chosen two local organizations:

  • Meow Rescue, which is a shelter for cats but is also involved in helping dogs and other animals.
  • The other is called Bullseye Rescue, which focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating and resetting pit bulls with homes, a very misunderstood breed that is usually a sweet dog breed, but are often abused and used in dog fighting. They recently saved three pit bulls from an Everett dog fighting ring and have rehabilitated them; one recently stopped a carjacking. Another pit bull from Olympia has only destroyed rolls of toilet paper (he needs some good toys). Bullseye doesn't have a shelter but relies on foster homes.

What You Can Do

  • Order some cookies from me. The dog cookies, called Katie Cookies after our 17-year-old lab/pit bull mix, are peanut butter and banana flavored. They cost $10 per dozen. We'll deliver them in the Seattle area. If you live outside the area, then we can mail them to you, frozen with cold packs, if you are willing to pay extra for postage.
  • Order regular cookies instead. These are cheaper to mail and don't need the cold packs. They are $10 per dozen and are either Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin. Email us with your order for either kind of treat — dog or people.
  • Buy a toy, Greenie chew, CET tooth chew product or something fun and durable for dogs or cats and either send it to us, ask us to pick it up (email us), or bring it to my Bar Mitzvah, where we'll have a basket for donations. You can also contact me for a list of other items that Meow Rescue needs. Kitten season is starting and its needs will be increasing and changing.

There has been concern about lead and arsenic in some toys, but Petco and most American-made toys adhere to the same requirements for dog toys as for children's toys and they are safe. If you want to purchase a Kong product, the company sent us a bunch of $2 coupons. Email us and we'll send you two — one to use for my project and one for your own furry friend.

  • If you are looking for something to do with your time, volunteer at a local shelter. You have to be 16 to do most of the fun things with animals. But they always need volunteers.
  • Consider fostering an animal. Or if you have the time and room, adopt an animal. There are about 6-8 million animals in shelters in this country, and about half of them are killed ever year because they can't find homes. Adopt, don't purchase an animal. Most animals you buy at a pet store come from puppy mills. And you can find purebred dogs and cats through rescue organizations. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars.
  • Talk to your friends and family about helping animal shelters. During tough times, there are a lot of organizations that need help. Don't forget the groups that help animals because we are their only voice.

Thanks for reading this page and for any help you want to give us. Email us if you have questions.