Well, here is the situation at our shelter every year. I know people mean well, and we are always thankful for their generosity, but we end up getting a LOT of stuff at Christmas time that we really can't use.

For example, everyone wants to get something cute and fun, and I understand that feeling. So, people buy fuzzy mice and balls with jingle bells in them for the cats, and squeaky rubber toys and collars with jewels on them for the dogs. So, in January, we have the HUGE pile in our back room .... 189 fuzzy mice, 274 balls with jingle bells, 58 rubber squeaky toys, and 71 fancy collars. And ... we have no laundry soap, no bleach, and are a month behind on the electric bill.

If you REALLY want to help the shelter, ask them what they need MOST. Even if it is not necessarily fun or cute, it truly will do the most good for the animals in the long run.

Here are some examples of things that people have donated to our shelter that made us want to weep with joy and hug them: Two large tarps we used as sunshades at mobile adoption days, pet taxis for trips to the vet, a pair of clippers and some extra blades, Frontline flea and tick stuff, bleach, laundry soap, paper towels, disposal rubber gloves.

And the best thing yet - one of the fourth grade classes here made stationary and sold it as a fundraiser. They took the money they made, and donated a check to us, made out payable to our veterinarian. This was a lifesaver! And the kids still had fun.

P.S. We don't give our dogs rawhide or chewies at the shelter, for a couple reasons. First, because they don't get it often, they are complete gluttons. We can't supervise all the dogs while the are chewing on them, and we worry about them swallowing a large piece or choking. Second, they tend to get in big, horrid fights over them, and we don't need a vet bill to patch them up.