By Sara McQuaid. Edited by Sumaiya Iqbal & Tvisha Shah Welcome back and thank you for joining us on the CCP Blog! Today we want to highlight one of the fiercest accomplishments at CCP: our Animal Wellness Booth program. They are a symbol of our dedication to helping youth facing homelessness and their animal companions. Caring for a pet is a life changing experience with multiple physical and mental health benefits. For youth facing homelessness, their animal is their lifeline and can provide emotional support that can be lacking in their life. Animal care is costly and only increasing as time goes on. Rover.com in their article “How much does it cost to be a dog parent?” reports that the average cost for a dog in 2023 is an average of 80$ to 335$. Youth facing homelessness should be able to keep their pets, as many are forced out of their homes through no fault of their own. Pets provide essential companionship and a sense of stability through these challenging times. Animal wellness booths can help youth support the physical and mental health of their animals while they are in periods of stress or transition.
Here are the steps you need to follow in order to set-up an animal wellness booth in your community: 1. Contact us and let us know you are interested ! We are always seeking new partners for booths and love to work with youth who wish to be change makers in their communities. Send us an email to hello@thecanadiancourageproject.com or send us a direct message on Instagram. We may have an idea for a location that has requested a booth, but if not, then you will have to outsource a partnership of their own. 2. Begin the search for your booth’s home: Establish a connection with a non-profit or a veterinarian clinic with the space for a booth. This will be one of the hardest steps as many offices will lack the space to keep the booth and additional supplies for replenishment. We will be glad to help you with drafting a letter you can send to various offices. Pictured below: Our Homes First Delta Booth
3. Fundraise: With your location partner, you will need to establish a goal for how much funding you will need for your booth. It is important to factor in three things:
1. Setting up the booth itself, whether this is a cabinet, a bin or a shelf.
2. The initial items that will be going in the booth.
3. Plan for replenishment. It will take some time to establish how often the booth will need refilling and what items are most needed.
There are various ways you can raise money for the booth. At CCP, we’ve been so lucky to have some incredible events over the years such as Bark and Barcuterie and Pilates with Purpose. If you need any ideas or tips for fundraising, please visit our blog where we’ve outlined 10 Steps to Launching a Fundraiser
4. Purchase your items: Once you have your funds for the booth, it’s time to purchase items for the booth. Our booths feature a range of products from food, toys, waste bags, leashes, collars and blankets. Ensure to keep your receipts when shopping for tax purposes.
5. Set up the booth! Now it’s time to enjoy the benefits of your hard work and get your booth set up. Arrange a day with your nonprofit to come and arrange to either physically set up the shelves or cabinet and arrange it with your hard-earned products.
6. Create a buzz: Knowledge is power and letting your community know about the available products is crucial. Keep in touch
7. Arrange a replenishment schedule: Once the booth is in use, it will require replenishment. Keep notes on what products are often used so you can ensure to keep it well stocked with the most desirable items
Congratulations, changemaker! You did it!
By following these ten steps, you are have ensured that no one is forced to choose between their own wellbeing and their pets. Thank you for your compassion and dedication for creating a positive change in your community.
Do you have an idea for creating meaningful change in your community? Connect with us on our social media. We would love to hear from you!
Works Cited
“The Cost of Dog Parenthood” https://www.rover.com/ca/blog/cost-of-dog-parenthood/
“10 Easy Steps to Launching Your Own Fundraiser”: https://www.thecanadiancourageproject.org/post/10-easy-steps-to-launching-your-own-fundraiser
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