Anyone trying to help an animal deserves assistance. Even if a rescue organization is full, voice mails stating that are missing the rare opportunity to educate you, the public, on steps to take to find an animal a permanent home.

1. Tell everyone you know, including the mailman. Use your E-mail. If you get interest, check out the home first before ever moving the animal. And don't forget - NO "Free to good home" statements. This is exactly where the bad guys, i.e., fight facilitators, sellers for lab research, look. Plus, by now you have hopefully had the animal spayed or neutered, and the vet has given him or her proper shots. Every good pet owner knows they would have had to do this so if it came out of your pocket, there's your price.
   
   
2. Contact your local spay/neuter clinic or humane society. Often, they have the low-down on people who are looking for a companion animal and are waiting for just who you have found (or has found you!).
   
   
3. Post a picture with the story - not cutesy or blunt - at your veterinarian's office, AND talk to your vet and the employees at the front desk. Sometimes people looking for a companion animal will leave their name and contact information at the front desk. These are just good people to know anyway.
   
   
4. Post on www.petfinder.com. This organization is trustworthy, reliable, and hugely successful.
   
   
5. Contact specific breed rescue groups. If the dog is a Shepherd mix, search "German Shepherd rescue group."
   
   
6. Post flyers (picture and story) at pet stores, and at groomers' and trainers' facilities. But always ask first.
   
   
7. If the animal is capable of being a working dog or is quite calm around anyone, take a trip with him or her to several assisted living facilities. Our elders need companionship just like the animal does and sometimes, if permission is granted, the perfect pair is introduced.
   
   
8. Visit www.bestfriends.com and first just look around. They have a department of people who will help you with your search. And they're in Utah! Wonderful people, and what good works they have accomplished.
   
   
9. Do a second swoop of telling everyone you know via phone and E-mail. Situations change constantly and as time goes by, something may have opened up but the person thought it would be too late to contact you.
   
   
10. While you're fostering the feline or canine, take good care to be loving, play with the animal, and teach them if possible because, even though you've held no pertinent details back, the permanent human companion will want the best companion animal possible. So don't sit on your laurels. Give a better-than-posted animal to the new human companion. Then, everyone is happy.
    
    
11. If possible, take the dog or cat with you everywhere you go. Or at least, take him or her out on the weekends. I've adopted out homeless dogs 100% of the time by walking them (in populated areas or sit outside a café) or taking them to an adoption day (check the newspapers or online!). When a person sees an animal, those sweeties are especially tough to resist! Or the person may know someone who's looking for a companion animal.

While these are in no way everything you can do, it's a start. And if you want to save an animal's life, there is some work involved. But oh, the rewards.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: You are never under obligation
to turn over an animal to anyone for whom you have reservations. It's either a gut feeling or an unacceptable living environment or both. Don't be embarrassed to say you don't think this partnering will work, thank them, and walk away.