October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month.

How Can You Help?

Rosalie is an adoptable dog withPet Adoption Services, Inc. in New Orleans.

By Jane Harrell, Petfinder.com 

October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month and there are more dogs in need than ever. 

But what if you can't adopt? Here are some easy ways you can still help:

1. Donate your Facebook status. Just paste this message into the "What's on your mind?" box at the top of your page: "October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month. Save a life: Adopt a dog! http://www.petfinder.com"


2. Tweet, retweet and repeat the following (or your own brilliant message): "October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month. Save a life: Adopt a dog! http://www.petfinder.com #savedogs"


3. Contact your local shelter or rescue group (you can search for groups near you here) and ask if they have a donation wish list or other flyer they'd like to you to post around your office or neighborhood. They may be holding special events for Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month which you can help promote.


4. Share an adoptable dog or a Petfinder dog-adoption Happy Tail on your blog, Facebook or Twitter (hashtag #savedogs) page each day of the month.


5. Sign up as a foster parent or shelter volunteer then tell your friends how great it is. Contact your local shelter or rescue group, or register in our volunteer database.


6. Add a Petfinder widget or banner to your Web site or blog.


7. Write an op-ed about the importance of pet adoption for your local paper.


8. Contact your local shelter or rescue group and offer to photograph their adoptable pets and upload the pics to Petfinder.


9. Donate to your local shelter or rescue group or to the Petfinder.com Foundation in honor of Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month.


10. Pass on an understanding of the importance of pet adoption to the next generation. Talk to your kids, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and other up-and-comers about animal shelters and why Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month, and pet adoption in general, is important.