Animals hold a special place in our hearts, and an event happening until May 7 provides a way for us to help.
“Idaho Gives” is an easy opportunity to donate to local causes and organizations. One of the beneficiaries for the event, Snake River Animal Shelter, is among the local groups that needs funds.
Kristin Sanger, the executive director of Snake River Animal Shelter, said the “Idaho Gives” fundraiser usually only lasts a day, but due to COVID-19, the event lasts through May 7.
Sanger also said this fundraiser helps fund a significant portion of the shelter’s supplies.
“We raise about a third of the money that we need for medical services through this fundraising platform,” Sanger said.
Another major part of the funding for the event goes into a fund that helps lower adoption fees for cats, helping prevent the euthanasia of healthy felines.
“[The event] allows us to reduce adoption fees from $75 down to a typical $20 to $25,” Sanger said. “Cats are still highly euthanized in our region, [and] one of the reasons the Snake River Animal Shelter was built, was to end euthanasia of healthy animals that could be adopted.”
Though the event officially ends on May 7, the shelter has other opportunities to help, like volunteering.
Sanger said that as of May 1, the shelter can have people inside the facility again, under the direction of Governor Brad Little’s re-opening plan for Idaho.
The shelter relies heavily on volunteers to help the animals feel at home until they find a permanent home.
“Volunteers are such a vital part of our operations and the enrichment, kind of normalcy for the animals’ lives,” Sanger said.
If you want to donate to the shelter’s “Idaho Gives” fund, click here.
If you want to volunteer at the shelter, call them at (208) 523-4219.