Where Are The Best Places To Donate Dog Toys?
Whoever thought of the concept, “paying it forward,” was probably a dog owner. Depending on where you live, and the breed of dog you own, owning a dog could be prohibitively expensive.
A dog is a living creature and must be cared for, fed, and treated like a family member. That means you are going to spend a lot of money taking care of it.
Do you have a pet budget? What do you prioritize on your pet budget relative to your finances? Are you in the habit of donating unused products and rarely used goods to less fortunate pet owners?
If you can afford to donate your dog toys, for example, you should. Many pet owners can’t afford to budget for such a necessity, although many may not see it as such.
Basic Lifetime Expenses of Pet Ownership
Do you know how expensive pet ownership is? Many pet owners don’t consider basics like breed, size of the dog, and the basic lifespan before owning one. The cost of living relative to where you live is also an essential factor to consider.
It can cost you anywhere between $1,400 to $4,300 annually to own a dog. And that is a basic estimate since the financial need of every dog is unique and singular.
The purer the breed of dog, then the more expensive it will be to get one. A purebred or specialty breed of dog can cost you anywhere between $500 to $2,000 as a baseline expense. Your average lifetime ownership costs may be less since the purer the breed, the likelier it will be healthier and longer-living.
There is nothing wrong with getting a mixed-breed dog from a reputable animal shelter or rescue group. Just make sure never to patronize unethical and cruel puppy mill operations. You will spend anywhere between $50 to $200 as a baseline cost to get a mixed breed puppy.
The issue with mixed breed puppies is that you don’t have a certification or authentication of breed history or lineage. You never know what kinds of emotional, behavioral, or medical issues the dog may genetically inherit or develop over time. And that could cost you more money over lifetime ownership.
Are you prone to buying your dog the most expensive kinds of dog foods and edible treats? You could end up spending over $250 to $700 on dog food alone over lifetime ownership.
Since a dog is essentially an extension of your family, you need to take it for regular medical checkups and examinations. It can cost you anywhere between $700 to $2,000 annually for regular veterinarian visits and emergency medical costs.
Remember, if you own a mixed-breed dog, the likelier you will be to pay more money for medical expenses due to its unknown history.
No matter the breed, many dogs need obedience training because they have owners who don’t know how to control them or train them.
You could end up spending over $300 a year on obedience training and additional refresher training courses.
A good pet bed could end up costing you $200 a year.
Want to get dog toys? For many dog owners, buying dog toys may seem like an indulgence or impulse purchase relative to other dog-related expenses. You could pay as much as $50 annually for dog toys.
The typical dog can live for anywhere between 13 years to 16 years.
Do you live in a high cost of living city? You may end up paying more than $10,000 annually to own a dog. So, you may end up paying over $160,000 in lifetime ownership costs.
At $50 annually, you could end up paying over $800 on dog toys over a typical 16 years. Dog toys are vital behavior development, emotional support, and educational aids that every dog needs.
However, it is somewhat understandable why some dog owners forego them when considering a basic dog ownership budget.
There is never a valid reason to deny a dog the enjoyment of dog toy ownership. Dog toys are not expensive and are easy to buy.
Dog toys can help dogs to control their base instinct impulses. And dog toys can help dogs get exercise, combat loneliness, expend pent-up energy, and indulge in intellectual curiosity.
If your dog has more than enough dog toys, you could consider donating your dog toys. There are too many dog owners who don’t consider buying them. And many animal shelters and rescue groups don’t have the budget to buy them for the animals in their care.
However, there are ways to donate dog toys. And would you know where to donate old and unused dog toys?
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Related: Runball Tug - The Ultimate Pull and Tug Toy
Where to Donate Dog Toys
There are many organizations happy to accept dog toy donations. You may want to start locally before trying to donate somewhere far from where you live.
Start by inquiring through family, friends, and coworkers if anyone is a dog owner in need of dog toys. Ask people in your neighborhood if anyone needs a dog toy. You can also email people if that makes you feel more comfortable.
This is primarily an optimum option if you have one or two dog toys to donate.
If you plan to donate dog toys on a larger scale, you may want to crowdsource a more extensive supply of dog toys to donate. Ask every dog owner you know if they have dog toys that they want to donate.
If you feel very generous, why not buy many cheap, quality dog toys in bulk for donation purposes? You can buy some cheap, quality dog toys for anywhere between $0.84 to $5 each. However, you should pay a little more for durable dog toys designed to last longer.
Talk to your financial advisor about tax credits for donating dog toys. You could qualify for tax breaks if you donate more than $250 to a charity, so keep the donation receipt.
You can donate one or two dog toys – anything would be appreciated. But to make a difference in a world where many unfortunate dogs go without, it won’t break the bank for you to donate a dozen or so dog toys to someone or an animal rescue facility that needs them.
So please endeavor to donate as many dog toys as you can to the local animal shelter, animal welfare, or rescue center near you.
AdoptaPet
AdoptaPet.com has a nationwide directory of over 17,000 animal shelters and rescue centers listed on its website.
PetFinder
Petfinder has an online directory listing of animal shelters, adoption centers, and rescue shelters in every American state.
ASPCA
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is well-known for it public relation efforts to edcuate the public about animal cruelty prevention.
Contact your local ASPCA facility and ask where you can donate dog toys.
Hope for Paws
Hope for Paws is a respected animal rescue organization dedicated to rescuing abused, neglected, injured, and abandoned dogs, providing emotional and medical aid, and matching needy dogs with new owners.
Animal Aid Unlimited
Animal Aid Unlimited is an international animal rescue organization based in India with an office in Seattle, Washington. Animal Aid Unlimited rescues unwanted and abused dogs and provides them with medical aid.
Abused, abandoned, and feral stray dogs roaming the streets in India is a severe problem in the country.
You can donate to Animal Aid Unlimited through its Seattle office.
American Pit Bull Foundation
Every dog has a unique personality and mood similar to human beings. It isn’t fair to stereotype a breed of dog as being more dangerous or menacing than others. However, this problem is the continual plight of the pit bull.
Pit bulls are unfairly stereotyped and demonized in popular culture as dangerous animals. The typical person may react more negatively to a pit bull or a rottweiler than any other dog breed.
The American Pit Bull Foundation dedicates itself to eradicating the negative stereotypes and perceptions people attribute to pit bulls.
APBF rescues unwanted and stray pit bulls, provides them with medical care, and matches them with new dog owners.
APBF also specializes in training pit bulls to become service dogs for military veterans suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
House with a Heart
House with a Heart is a well-known animal sanctuary and so-called “forever home” for cats and dogs. House with a Heart specializes in caring for older dogs with medical needs abandoned after their owner died.
This organization specializes in animal sanctuary services because older dogs with medical issues are rarely adopted under most circumstances. House with a Heart volunteers are trained to care for an older dog with ailments and even stay by their sides when they pass away.
Angels Among Us
Stray dogs wandering city streets is a public crisis that most people don’t give the attention it deserves. Over 3.3 million dogs are processed into animal shelters and rescue centers every year.
And because animal shelters and rescue centers survive on donations and volunteer efforts, most don’t have the necessary resources to help every animal taken in. Over 670,000 dogs are euthanized every year due to budget cuts and to control stray animal populations.
Angels Among Us is an animal advocacy group specializing in rescuing cats and dogs from high-kill animal shelters in Georgia.
Angels Among Us uses a professional network of animal lovers and volunteers to post pics and updates on social media to encourage adoption before state-mandated euthanasian deadlines.
Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch
Jameson Animal Ranch is an animal rescue organization based in California. The organization specializes in rescuing and finding homes for dogs, horses, cats, chickens, and many other kinds of animals.
Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch is a social assistance organization as well. The organization also offers financial assistance referral services to financially struggling families with animals, senior citizens, and families displaced by natural disasters.
Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is the most extensive animal advocacy and no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States. Best Friends Animal Society maintains professional connections with other similar organizations to educate the public about animal advocacy.
This organization also coordinates fundraisers and adoption events with other animal rescue organizations to maximize their efforts. It was Best Friends Animals Society that was instrumental in helping the abused dogs in the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal get the medical care and support they required.
Friends of Retired Greyhounds
Friends of Retired Greyhounds specializes in recruiting retired racing greyhounds and greyhounds from animal shelters and farms and placing them in new families.
Friends of Retired Greyhounds also works with inmate rehabilitation programs to help reform inmates. And the inmates learn how to bond with and care for animals in need.
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
There is a public perception about euthanized dogs that is mistaken. While many euthanized dogs are young, many are also older dogs with medical needs that no one wants to adopt.
Usually, older dogs with medical issues are euthanized first to make room for more energetic and younger puppies in animal shelters.
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue specializes in finding animal hospices and homes for abandoned older dogs with medical issues. And Muttville Senior Dog Rescue also works to inform the public of stereotypes and misperceptions concerning older dogs.
Dog Toy Donation Etiquette
Before you get started donating dog toys, you should be aware of the proper etiquette when doing so.
Don’t donate the most chewed up and oldest dog toys that you have and have to fight impulses to throw away. It’s not hygienic, nor is it very polite.
Make sure that the dog toy you donate is rarely used or unused. It is worth noting again that dog toys are cheap and plentiful – it won’t break your bank to buy a few dozen for donation purposes.
Also, make sure to call or email ahead before you donate your dog toys. The organization may not have the volunteers or resources needed to accept your donations and schedule a time to take them.
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