The 13 Project – update

13 ways to help animals

Earlier this month I decided to participate in The 13 Project.

This project was created by a site called Pretty Fluffy to encourage individuals to help homeless animals.

To participate, all you have to do is come up with your own list of 13 ways to help animals before 2012 ends.

I only have about a month left to complete my list, so I thought I’d give you an update. You can view my original list here.

Completed!

Donate a copy of the book “Redemption” to the director of a regional kill shelter.

“Redemption” by Nathan Winograd explains how U.S. shelters can realistically stop the killing of healthy dogs and cats. The book explains how dozens of U.S. communities have already accomplished this and how more can do the same by following the no kill equation model.

I chose to send a copy of the book to Arlette Moen, executive director of Circle of Friends Humane Society in Grand Forks, N.D. Circle of Friends is an open-admission shelter that kills healthy animals due to a lack of “space.”

Although I believe the staff and volunteers there care very much about the animals, the book might help even one person open her mind to more options.

Donate a wish list item to my local humane society

I decided to purchase a bag of dry kitten food for the Humane Society Fargo-Moorhead since the shelter said it is always in need of kitten food. Now I just need to deliver it!

Write a blog post about why I plan to adopt a pitbull!

Check it out here – I hope to adopt a pitbull.

Make a monetary donation to an open-admission, no-kill shelter.

I chose to donate to Animal Allies Humane Society in Duluth, Minn., because this humane society truly follows the no-kill approach.

No animals are turned away from this shelter, and no adoptable dogs or cats are killed. It also has a strong program for releasing feral cats as barn cats, and it has lead the community of Duluth to achieve no-kill status.

Make an album of local adoptable pets on That Mutt’s Facebook page.

I choose to create an album of some of the black dogs and cats up for adoption in my town of Fargo, N.D. I will keep updating the album as the pets get adopted.

Sponsor the adoption fee of a local homeless pet.

I decided to sponsor the full adoption fees for two local black cats. That means these cats are available for adoption at no cost.

The first is a cat named Mallory at CATS Cradle Shelter in Fargo. She is a nice cat who has been up for adoption for about a year. The other is a 5-year-old male named Midnight (pictured) through the Humane Society Fargo-Moorhead. I haven’t met him, but I hear he is a very fun, social cat.

Expect to see more updates on these two! If you are interested in more info, just send an email to Lindsay@ThatMutt.com. Update: Midnight was adopted!

Promote a local homeless pet until he or she finds a home.

Donate to the No Kill Advocacy Center

I donated to the No Kill Advocacy Center because I believe in the work it is doing to help communities end the killing of healthy, adoptable animals in U.S. shelters. Since 2005, about 80 communities (representing 200 cities) have reached save rates of more than 90 percent using the no kill equation model provided by the center.

Still to go!

• Donate my mutt Ace’s two dog crates to a local rescue group (I may do so in 2013 as this will be more convenient for me).
• Donate all our unused pet supplies – bowls, toys, collars, etc.
• Donate all our old towels and blankets to an animal shelter.
• Write a letter to the editor on why my area needs more support for the trap/neuter/release of feral cats (instead of mostly trapping and killing them).
• Write a blog post on how to foster a cat.