Reducing Animal Stress in Shelter and Rescue Groups

A Girl Scout Gold Award turned into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to help animals in shelters and rescues.

Nonprofit Overview

We collect and create enrichment and de-stressing items to donate to local animal shelters and rescue groups. This includes food puzzles, toys, hideaway houses, blankets, cat scratchers, and much more. The purpose of creating these items is to reduce the stress that animals face in shelters and rescue groups. We also educate others on the importance of animal enrichment and keeping animals less stressed in shelters, and teach people how to make items using common household materials to help animals reduce their boredom and stress.

In additon, we attend adoption events and host foster workshops to teach people about the importance of fostering. We also had out free foster and adoption kits to encourage fostering and adoptions.

Mission

Our mission is to improve the experiences of animals in shelters and rescues, and reduce the stress, fear, anxiety, and frustration they have. Our goal is that by decreasing their behavioral issues caused by stress, there will be an increase in animal adoptions. This would result in less crowded animal shelters and reduced animal euthanasia.

Lasting Impact

Our work is sustainable by the use of social media, a website, videos, and presentations/workshops. We have also appeared in many articles. Through these platforms, we are teaching others how to create pet items to donate to their local animal shelters and rescues using recycled materials. We also are teaching others about the importance of animal enrichment and keeping animals less stressed. Additionally, we donated a custom-built donation bin to the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter, and an agility course to the Santa Monica Animal Shelter, which are both still in use. We also helped Kitty Bungalow win a grant of $5,000!

Why Animals are Stressed

Food and water are the basic items that shelters give to their animals. Shelter pets rarely get toys to play with and enrichment activities. They spend most their time in their cage with little out time. Due to this, shelter animals get stressed and anxious from being bored and stuck in a cage all day long. This leads to them getting sick more often and an increase in behavioral issues, which makes them less likely to get adopted. They also tend to start having bad habits, such as pulling out their fur and spinning around in their cage.

Common Stress Triggers

Sounds; such as loud noises
Unfamiliar Smells
Touch; such as a cold floor or having nothing to scratch (cats)
Visuals; such as lots of people and animals

How You Can Help

- Donate (host a donation drive, donate money, buy items to donate, make items to donate, etc.)

- Spread awareness (post on social media, share info with friends, etc.)

- Volunteer with local animal shelters and/or rescues

- Foster (temporarily take care of an animal until ready to be adopted or for a specific amount of time)

- Adopt (make sure the pet is spayed/neutered and microchipped)

Importance of Fostering

Los Angeles animal shelters are overcrowded and do not have room to take in more animals. Due to this, animal euthanasia rates increase. One way to help reduce these numbers and save more animals is by fostering. Fostering saves two lives, because it allows for one animal to get out of the shelter and that makes room for another.