Did you know that July 21st is National Craft for your Local Shelters Day? Not only is this a great oppawtunity to do something fun and creative, it really helps bring joy to both shelter pets and those who work and volunteer at shelters. Shelter pets don’t have the luxury of being in a home with a bunch of toys at their disposal - in fact, many only have just one or two to play with. Donating some homemade toys and other crafts can really help to comfort these animals who are waiting patiently for their furever homes. Below are a few simple and sustainable crafts you can put together for your local shelter pets. Have fun with it!
‘Adopt Me’ Bandanas
This is one of the simplest ways to make a huge impact on your local shelter dogs and cats. Grab some fun fabric designs, some felt lettering or non-toxic paint, and start crafting! If you know the names of your local shelter pets, you can really personalize each bandana too. Most shelters have websites with each pet’s information. If not, a simple ‘Adopt Me’ is a cute way to draw folks in!
Cozy Blankets
Many shelters suffer from overcrowding and it’s not always possible to provide the comfiest spaces for each and every pet. An easy way to help is to provide your local shelter with blankets for these adoptable dogs and cats! You can simply create blankets out of old shirts, fleece, or other fabric you may have! Just be sure it’s something soft– we don’t want to provide these pets with itchy blankets!
Spud Chews
This is a great DIY toy for dogs because animal shelters typically don’t have the budget to spend on higher quality chew toys. While this project takes a bit more time, it’ll be worth it when you see how excited the dogs get! To make these sweet potato chew toys, you’ll need hemp or jute rope and sweet potatoes/yams. You can make a variety of sizes for both smaller and larger breeds. You’ll essentially cut the yams into circles and make a hole in the middle, then bake them till they’re dried out. Then, thread them through the rope and tie off the ends!
Something Fishy
All you need for this DIY cat toy is an old sock, a marker, and something to stuff the sock with! Crinkly paper is a great stuffing material, or you can use some catnip! Once you stuff the sock, simply tie the end into a knot so that the sock resembles the shape of a fish. Then, you can get as crafty as you want! Draw on some eyes, scales, or whatever else floats your boat. You’ll have an instant cat toy that the shelter kittens will immediately pounce on!
There are so many other fun crafts you can create for your local shelter pets. Do you have any fun tips for DIY dog and cat toys? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear some of your ideas!