Every year, about 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats enter animal shelters throughout the United States. According to ASPCA statistics, only about 4.1 million shelter animals get adopted every year. That leaves millions of animals stuck in shelters and without a permanent home.
Don’t get too bummed out, though. There are ways you can help! Start by supporting your local animal shelter. While contributing to nationwide animal welfare causes can be great, most people can make the biggest impact by focusing on their immediate community. If you want to help critters in need, explore these six ways to support local animal shelters.