Today, organizations of all shapes and sizes are teaming up with animal shelters to come up with creative initiatives.
Whether they’re pairing orphaned kittens with assisted living residents or helping kids practice their reading to calm anxious dogs, these programs benefit all parties involved — even those looking to pay off a parking fine.
According to a report in MyModernMet.com, earlier this summer, two Indiana institutions — Muncie Animal Care & Services and the Muncie Police Department — had an ingenious idea.
In lieu of paying off their parking tickets directly to the police department, indebted citizens could call it even by donating cat supplies — including food, litter, beds, and blankets — in the amount of their fine to the shelter, the report said.
What prompted this purr-fect plan?
Recently, the shelter has been overrun with cats and kittens; by mid-July, it was housing over 350. In order to help the swamped shelter care for these animals, the police department came up with the idea, citing a simple motivating factor: “We want to help!”
Until July 19, interested participants could either drop donations by the shelter or arrange a police pick-up at their home.
As expected, the campaign saw success — both in real life and on social media, where users from all over the country applauded the joint effort and the Muncie Animal Care & Services shared their thanks.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive from the community, and this is such a wonderful opportunity to help your local shelter,” the organization wrote on Facebook. “Thank you to the Muncie Police Department for putting this together!”