If you are like most people, you have been watching the devastating hurricanes that have affected Texas and Florida and wondering how you can help.  Not only do people and organizations need help after Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, but it is important that you do not forget pets need help too.  It will take many years for cities to recover fully from such devastation but in the meantime, many pets have been displaced.  Though some will be reunited with their owners, many may not be which means shelters are overflowing with displaced pets.  There are many different ways to support displaced pets, even if you do not live close to the affected areas.

Many organizations are in need of financial support in the aftermath of the hurricanes.  Because they have taken in a surplus of displaced animals they need additional support staff, medical supplies, food, blankets, bedding, etc.  One of the easiest ways to send financial support that will directly help displaced animals is to donate to The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). There are also many local organizations to which you can donate.

In addition to providing financial support, you can donate supplies to help support displaced animals.  Many shelters are in need of crates, food, water, bowls, blankets, medical supplies, and more.  The City of San Antonio Animal Care Services organization set up an Amazon Wish List to make it very easy to purchase and donate items to animal shelters.  It takes all of the guesswork out of things and ensures the items go directly to the shelters that need them so badly.

One other important thing to remember is that if you can take in a displaced pet, do it.  If you live in or near the area affected and can foster a displaced pet it will significantly help relieve animal shelters that have an overabundance of animals to care for.  Fostering a pet may simply be temporary until they can be reunited with their families.  However, some pets may never be reunited with their families and many are in need of forever homes.  Contact a local shelter to see if there are any animals you can either foster or adopt so that they can have a safe and stable home in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.