Donate to AKC Pet Disaster Relief and help provide pet-related assistance immediately following a disaster. Your donation helps with relief efforts, such as purchasing and donating the AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailers, and providing supplies for emergency pet sheltering organizations. With your help, pet owners don’t need to risk staying in harm’s way because they don’t have a safe place to go with their pet.
Make a one-time donation to the AKC Humane Fund to support educational programs, grants, and outreach that promote the joy and value of responsible pet ownership. Your donation helps support a variety of initiatives, including Parent Club Rescue activities; human-services organizations that permit domestic abuse victims to stay in shelters with their pets; and programs that educate adults and children about responsible dog ownership.
Volunteer with National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) to respond to disasters in the United States and around the world. Established nearly 50 years ago, the National VOAD is an association of organizations that mitigate and alleviate the impact of disasters, and it promotes cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration to communities affected by disaster. To volunteer, contact a VOAD near you.
Train your dog to be a therapy dog. Therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of other people, whether they are working with a child who is learning to read, visiting a patient in a hospital, or bringing comfort to a senior in assisted living. A dog can provide a valuable sense of reassurance and joy and can help calm people experiencing stressful, lonely, or depressing situations. Learn about the AKC Therapy Dog Program here.
Train your dog to be a search and rescue (SAR) dog. From missing person cases to natural disasters, dogs have played an integral part in finding people who are in dire situations. The skills of search and rescue dogs can mean the difference between life and death. Learn about Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States here.
