We’re all familiar with the concept of working from home, but have you thought about volunteering from home? There are plenty of reasons why volunteering can sometimes be difficult, despite your best intentions. Life is busy. You’re working long hours. You don’t have easy access to volunteer activities in your community. We get it, which is why we created this blog, Make a Difference From Home. Volunteering from home is super fun and is a great way to gather family and friends together to make the world a better place.
This week’s project, our do-it-yourself CRINKLE WATER BOTTLE DOG TOYS, is a perfect way to help entertain dogs in shelters waiting for their forever homes. Shelters are often overcrowded and tend to be very stressful places for pets. These DIY toys will give the dogs something to play with to help pass the time spent in cages. And the good news is that each toy only takes about 15 minutes to make.
SUPPLIES:
- Fleece
- Empty water bottle, 12 once size works well
- Scissors (fabric scissors work best)
- Dog treats, small
TIPS:
- Make sure the inside of the water bottle is dry.
- Sharp fabric scissors work best to cut the fleece.
HOW TO:
Step 1: Add a handful of small dog treats or kibble to the bottle. The treats inside the bottle will create noise when the dog shakes the toy. Screw the cap back onto the water bottle.
Step 2: Cut a piece of fleece sized to wrap around the bottle. Leave 5 extra inches of fabric length at the top of the bottle. This extra fabric will be cut into fringe later.
Step 3: Cut a fleece strip approximately 1/3 inch wide and 8 inches long. This strip will be used to secure the fleece around the bottle in step 4.
Step 4: Wrap the large piece of fleece around the bottle and tie it securely at the bottle top with the strip that was cut in step 3. Be sure to tie the strip tightly so that it doesn’t come undone when the toy is used.
Step 5: Cut fringe at the top of the toy.
Step 6: Your DIY toy is now ready to bring happiness to a dog at a shelter.
HOW TO DONATE:
Where to donate locally: Contact your local SPCA, humane society and rescue organizations to arrange delivery of your DIY CRINKLE WATER BOTTLE DOG TOYS. If your shelter is like our local shelter, they will likely be thrilled to get them!
Where to donate via mail: You can also mail your dog toys to the following nonprofit organizations who will deliver them to dogs in need:
- Small Acts Big Change, PO Box 1374, La Canada, CA 91012
STUDENTS EARN SERVICE HOURS:
Small Acts Big Change is happy to certify volunteer hours for students who make these toys for rescue dogs. Every 4 toys = 1 hour of community service volunteer credit. Please contact Carolyn at [email protected] to learn how!
JOIN US AGAIN TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE:
If you would like to learn about more DIY volunteer projects like this one, please subscribe to this page and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallactsbigchangeus/
THANK YOU:
Thank you for helping dogs at the shelters have a better day.
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