Around 6.3 million animals enter animal shelters in the United States every year. While year-round fundraising is essential, the giving season means even more to pet shelters.
Animal rescues often rely on community members to provide the resources the animals need. Year-end donations for pet shelters are a lifeline. These funds go toward caring for reduced animals and planning for future growth. Here’s how you can make the most of the giving season to boost donations for your animal rescue.
1. Use Pet Management Software
PawPlacer allows pet shelters to accept contributions online. Shelter managers can create customizable donation pages with suggested amounts and flexible payment options. The animal shelter management software tracks donation records, generates detailed reports, and analyzes trends to support smarter fundraising decisions.
With PawPlacer, you can set up multiple payment methods and receive donations directly through the configured channels. You can keep 100% of your donations and adoption fees.
2. Make it Easy to Donate
People like having options for different payment methods. Wondering how to get more donations for animal shelters? Make donating effortless by accepting credit cards, Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, Bitcoin, and more. You can also create QR codes with donation links so supporters can contribute easily from anywhere, at any time.
3. Make a Wishlist
Some people are less comfortable sending money via an online portal or QR code. Make a list of items your shelter needs, like toys, food, bedding, and other pet supplies. Make it easy for donors to purchase and ship items directly to your shelter. Share your list through user-friendly platforms like Amazon, encouraging donors to give tangible gifts.
Aside from a monetary or gift donation, there may be people in your area who can give their time instead of money.
4. Fundraising Events
When was the last time you held a good old-fashioned fundraising event? Not sure where to begin? Here are some pet shelter fundraising campaign ideas to help engage your community and raise funds for your shelter.
- Puppy yoga session
- Charity dog walk
- Pet photo day
- Bake sale
- Dog wash fundraiser
5. Use Social Media
Engaging and shareable content for social media can go a long way. After all, you already have the best post subjects - cute animals! It takes less than five minutes to post on social media, and each post can be a powerful way to reach potential donors.
Share pet adoption stories, photos of your shelter animals, or short videos of your furry residents. Remember to include a clear call to action, like “donate now” or “help us save more lives,” to encourage followers to share your posts and extend your reach.
6. Show Gratitude
Publicly acknowledge donors (with permission) by thanking them on your website, social media, or email newsletters. Highlighting donor names or sharing milestones reached because of their generosity reminds them they are making a real difference and encourages continued support.
7. Partner with Local Businesses
Partner with local businesses to promote your shelter. Ask cafes, restaurants, pet stores, and other businesses in your area to put up donation boxes. In addition to traditional donation boxes, share your campaign materials with social media links or QR codes for quick, on-the-spot donations for people who don’t carry cash.
Sometimes, businesses are even willing to match donations, incentivizing others to contribute.
8. Use Tax-Deduction Deadlines
Remind donors of tax-deductible donations for animal rescues. Send a clear message about the deduction deadline (December 31) and make it easy for them to give by including direct links to your donation page.
9. Use Local Media
Contact local newspapers, radio stations, and TV channels to feature your shelter’s year-end fundraising efforts. While these platforms are not guaranteed to pick up a story, it’s worth a try. A shoutout on the news or radio can boost donations from people who might not be in your immediate network.
10. Educate the Public
The average person, even the most passionate animal lover, may not realize the financial strain that animal shelters endure. Share specific examples, like the cost of a single animal’s care—covering essentials (food, medical treatment, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering).
Use storytelling to bring the numbers to life. Try highlighting success stories of rescued animals and explain how donations directly impacted their journeys. Create infographics or videos showing how donated funds go directly toward the animal’s care.