Supporting Rescue Efforts
There are many ways to help rescue whether you are local or far away. Support comes in all forms. We each do what we can to make a difference. Together, with our combined efforts, we can accomplish the impossible.
VOLUNTEER:
Rescues and sanctuaries depend on volunteers to accomplish the many tasks involved with caring for the animals. You can volunteer your time, your efforts, and your skills or talents. Contact your local sanctuary to get a list of duties they need accomplished. Contact sanctuaries across the United States to offer assistance with duties that can be done remotely.
Some areas you may be able to assist:
Foster
Adopt
Transport
Network adoptable animals
Create and/or manage Pet Finder account
Build an Amazon Wish List or a wish list for their org website
Create and/or manage Sponsor A Pig program
Create and/or manage Spay or Neuter A Pig program
Create and/or manage a public Facebook page
Visit the sanctuary, socialize the animals, clean up, paint fences, and build barns, any chores big or small
Call local grocery stores & restaurants to pick up excess or unsold produce and deliver to the rescue
After Halloween, contact pumpkin farms for donations. An excellent food source and enrichment
Collect blanket donations or purchase low cost blankets from the local thrift store, deliver to the rescue
Organize and promote “work days” to gather volunteers for a specific project or every day chores
Assist in hoof & tusk trimming
Visit the sanctuary taking high quality photographs and videos that can be used in adoptions & promotions
DROP OFF DONATIONS:
These can be donations that you purchase in order to donate or you can ask stores to donate for the rescue. A great idea is to can have a “donation collection party”. Ask all your friends over for a bar-b-q or wine night asking them to only bring supplies for the local sanctuary or rescue. A blanket donation party or a pig feed party would be fun and make a huge difference to those in need. Get the kids involved! Kids can make a huge impact in collecting donations while teaching them of kindness and generosity to those in need.
Leftover produce from Farmer’s Markets, restaurants, or grocery stores
Pumpkins after Halloween – many pumpkin farms will give them away after the holiday
Christmas trees for goats after the holiday
Pig feed, hay, straw
Postage stamps
Office supplies
Paper Towels
Building materials, tools, nails, fencing, roofing
Gift cards to Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Walmart,
Water hoses or nozzles
Four-wheeler
Trailer
Livestock trailer
Blankets
First aid supplies or over the counter medications such as Pen-G and Ivomec
Plastic kiddie pools for summer
FOSTER:
Fostering a pig is not a good fit for everyone. However, if you are willing and able, you can literally save a life by fostering until the animal is vetted, healthy, and finds an appropriate adoptive home. Fostering is not to be taken lightly. It can be physically and emotionally draining. You need to take steps to protect yourself, your animals, and the foster. Considerations are animal fights, infectious diseases, parasites, fear that can be expressed as aggression, pregnancy if animals are not spayed/neutered, and containment such as a strong fence. Rescues and sanctuaries will screen you thoroughly just as they would for an adoptive home. It is their mission to keep all animals healthy and safe. Before accepting a foster animal you must understand where the responsibilities lie. Each organization will have different expectations of the foster family. Typically the foster family will provide food and housing while the rescue will provide or pay for medical care and emergencies. You’ll want to get the details in writing before accepting the animal into your home.
Use AMPA Mini Pig Classifieds to connect with other pig people.
ADOPT:
Adopting is a huge decision and should not be made lightly. If you are looking to add a pig to your family, there is a huge selection of rescue pigs of all shapes, sizes, ages, and personalities. Finding the right match is absolutely crucial. Start by making contact with your local sanctuary or rescue to ensure a rescue pig is what you are looking for. They may have one available for adoption or lead you in the direction of one.
Use AMPA Mini Pig Classifieds to connect with other pig people.
TRANSPORT:
Rescuing pigs may require transportation. Drivers are always needed and appreciated. You may offer assistance to drive a pig to the veterinarian for a checkup or procedure, pick them up from the shelter or previous home to drop them off at the rescue/sanctuary/foster home, drive a short leg of a long distance travel, or drive a long distance trip. Always use precautions to ensure the safety of the pig and driver while traveling. If the pig will cross state lines you will need to plan ahead to ensure all state and federal laws are followed.
Use AMPA Mini Pig Classifieds to connect with other pig people.
NETWORK:
Networking can be done from anywhere while saving countless lives! You can network adoptable animals, animals needing rescued, needs of the rescue (donations, fundraisers, transport). Networking can be done through email, Facebook, twitter, media, friends, or any way to get exposure for the rescue organization.
Use AMPA Mini Pig Classifieds to connect with other pig people.
SPONSOR A PIG:
Sanctuaries take on the care of animals that have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. This long term commitment plays a vital role in the pig community as there are FAR MORE pigs in need than homes willing/able to accommodate them. Unfortunately, this leaves a huge ongoing financial burden on the organizations and many have been crushed under the weight of this responsibility. By choosing one animal to “sponsor” you can setup recurring monthly payments of a small amount such as $25 or $50 per month. This will take the burden off the rescue for the basic costs of that animal and allows their resources to be used for more urgent matters such as medical bills and barn maintenance.
American Mini Pig Rescue Sponsorship Program click here.
Use AMPA Mini Pig Classifieds to connect with other pig people.
SHOP AMAZON SMILE:
http://smile.amazon.com/
Do your shopping on Amazon with a % of the sales going to help a rescue or sanctuary in need. You have to access amazon through the Amazon Smile link and select the organization you would like to benefit from the donated portion of your purchases.
SHOP iGive:
iGive.com
From the iGive website:
Shop at any of the 1,400+ online stores. It’s fast and automatic with the iGive button, our Android/iPad apps, or simply use our site to visit stores. You never pay more. We always show you how much you’re raising before you buy.
Just about anything you buy counts. We take care of the details, including sending the money you’ve helped raise to your cause. Donations range from 0.5% to over 20%, varying by store. A typical shopper raises over $100/yr.
AMAZON WISH LIST:
Shop for the pigs in a sanctuary or rescue. An organization can list items needed on their wish list. You purchase the items of your choice to be shipped directly to the sanctuary/rescue. A wonderful gift for pigs in need and you are sure of how your donation is spent. Amazon gift cards can also be purchased and mailed to the rescue or sanctuary to purchase needed supplies. These can be emailed or mailed. This allows the organization to prioritize their purchases. Anything from medical supplies, medications (such as Ivomec), rakes, hoof trimmers, electric fencing, feed buckets, brushes, beds, vet wrap, treats such as dried bananas, water hoses, feed containers, syringes, needles, enrichment activates, barn latches, blankets, all sorts of things!
Shop the American Mini Pig Rescue Amazon Wishlist here.
SUPPORT SPAY/NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
Seek out spay and neuter assistance programs. You can help by donating financially, sponsoring a spay or neuter, or spreading the word of such a worthwhile cause to get more donors and pig parents in need involved.
GAS CARDS:
Rescues tend to put a lot of miles on their cars, and their cars typically have to be on the larger size to accommodate crates and animals. Donating a gas gift certificate or gas card will give them the necessary funding when travel is needed while easing the burden on their tight finances. Sometimes, the cost of gas will affect whether a rescue is feasible or not. Having gas cards for emergencies can mean the difference of life or death.
DIRECT DONATIONS:
Contribute financially to a rescue or sanctuary. This can usually be done from their website or through www.paypal.com. These donations are crucial for nonprofits to operate and care for the animals in their care.
Donate to American Mini Pig Rescue here.
SUPPORT FUNDRAISERS:
Rescues and sanctuaries typically have fundraisers to help with the costs of caring for the animals in their care. You can support these fundraisers by: organizing a fundraiser, donating items to the fundraiser, buying or bidding on items in the fundraiser. If you own a business you can also offer a percentage of sales to be donated to a rescue or sanctuary. This is a double bonus because you are getting exposure for your business/products while also getting exposure for the rescue and their needs. If you are a representative of a company such as Origami Owl or nail wraps, host a party with proceeds donated to a sanctuary or rescue.
View American Mini Pig Rescue Fundraisers here.