The importance and social significance of animal shelters

Do you know what an animal shelter is? Who runs them and for what purpose? Why can they survive and why is it important to society? Can you name any animal shelters in your area? Which animal comes to mind first when you hear the word animal shelter?

It might be useful to first clarify what the term animal shelter means, and what exactly the term means. An animal shelter is an institution that operates to provide temporary or permanent housing for orphaned animals. Typically run by civilian volunteers on a non-profit basis.

And this is where social responsibility comes in. We believe it is essential to have a conversation with our volunteers about the significance of their generation’s active involvement in social work, animal rights advocacy, and responsible living. This includes being mindful of wild and domestic animals and adopting habits that do not harm them. It all begins with behaving responsibly while visiting natural environments such as forests, wilderness, and mountains, by not littering and respecting the animals’ habitats. This responsible behavior should extend to taking care of our pets and not abandoning them when it’s no longer a cute puppy.

A society where animal rights matter and play a role, where young and old alike understand responsible pet ownership, is a society where the number of animal shelters in the country is likely to decrease. 

We would like to be more active in talking and writing about the impact that volunteers helping with the day-to-day work of an animal shelter can have on the lives of animals. We aim to spread awareness about the kind and innocent animals that are waiting for a loving owner and to educate people about the possibility of pet adoption, even for older animals. Not to mention that countless dogs and pets are therapeutic, helping us humans through difficult times and illnesses.