Wonderful Web Works: Animal Nonprofits Do Good Deeds On- and Offline
For many folks, tis the season to give to charitable causes. This month, we look at the Web sites of several well known animal nonprofits, to see what they’re doing online.
The home page for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (http://www.aspca.org), is robust, to say the least. Visitors are greeted with a link for seasonal giving, reminding contributors that the organization “never takes a holiday from saving animals.”
There are numerous other chances to give on the home page. One spot offers premiums like magnets and stickers in exchange for a contribution, while federal workers are invited to click on a link for workplace giving. And, a link to the ASPCA online store offers numerous gift ideas.
But that’s not to say the page is only a cry for money. A lot of interesting content is offered, ranging from a breakdown of annual pet care costs for those considering animal adoption, to dog photo contest winners and a link to sign up for mobile alerts about ASPCA activities. News updates ranging from a NYC animal cruelty bust to a feature on a shelter pet of the week are featured in a blog.
The Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/) greets holiday visitors with a warning about a national retailer selling “fake” fur coats that are actually made with real fur.
On a lighter note, a prominent link for holiday donations offers a “take along pet” plush bag donors can give out with gift donations. The HSUS also offers holiday shopping links and numerous new stories, ranging from tales of animal cruelty to a plug for the “Charlotte’s Web” movie.
The site goes beyond pets, with links for news and information about wildlife, farm animals, marine mammals and animals used in research.
Cleveland Amory, author of “The Cat Who Came For Christmas,” was the founder of The Fund for Animals (http://www.fundforanimals.org/) and served as the organization’s president until his death in 1998.
The organization is a partner with the HSUS, and seems to take a more no-nonsense approach online. The home page is very news oriented, with links to news stories, ways to donate and information about affiliated animal care centers.
Another celebrity, Doris Day, lent her name to the Doris Day Animal League (http://www.ddal.org/). The group is dedicated to “reducing the pain and suffering of non-human animals through legislative initiatives.”
The DDAL is also affiliated with the HSUS, and takes a fairly newsy approach, offering updates about things like animal testing, and ways to contact Congress about animal related issues.
Looking at all these sites makes me wish my cats were a bit more interested in the Internet. I think they’d be pleased to know so many people cared.
