As the founding sponsor of LoveAnimals.org, we get excited when we hear about people using the site to help animals. We were especially excited to hear about Joe from Illinois. Joe has given $4,500 to 45 separate crowdfunding campaigns on LoveAnimals.org. That’s a lot of animals helped!
Our friends at LoveAnimals.org caught up with Joe for a short interview and what we learned about this generous giver just makes us even more proud to be a part of the good LoveAnimals.org is doing. To help thank Joe for his generosity, we sent Joe a goody bag for his own pets. In addition, along with our partners at Freekibble.com and GreaterGood.org, Halo is also sending 5,000 bowls of food to a shelter Joe chose!
Joe currently has one cat and two dogs. His support of animal rescues was inspired by one very special dog, his first dog who joined him eight years ago. When she passed away, Joe decided to start living his life to help animals. He thinks about that special dog every single day and hopes that what he does helps “save or improve animals’ lives.” In addition to giving through LoveAnimals.org, Joe also volunteers at a local animal shelter to help animals looking for a new home.
Joe looks at the campaigns on LoveAnimals.org whenever he has the time, but tries to donate “about once a month.” He said that he likes that LoveAnimals.org is “a dedicated platform to helping animals” and that it’s a well-organized website. No one wants to waste time digging through disorganized information when they could be helping animals in need!
When choosing what campaign to give to, Joe says that he likes “to support the underdog” and donates more if he feels like the money is “really needed” and will go directly toward helping an animal. Usually he donates $50 or $100 to each campaign, but one time he gave $300 to help a dog who needed surgery. Joe remembers that the dog “looked really, really bad” and that the campaign had, at that point, only received $25 so he felt like he needed to give. Joe also likes giving to campaigns that pay for spay and neuter surgeries and is impressed with how far animal shelters and rescues can stretch their resources.
Joe appreciates the update emails that he receives from the campaigns to which he donates. He also likes to give through LoveAnimals.org because he feels reassured that the campaigns are for reputable groups who really help animals. He also likes to make an extra donation to help LoveAnimals.org. He told LoveAnimals.org that he does that “To keep it going! Having LoveAnimals.org available as an option for nonprofits is a big thing.” He noted that through LoveAnimals.org, he has a much better idea of where his donations go.
Joe wants people who have pets to treat them well, and spay and neuter them! “People can take small actions to make a difference in the world,” Joe said and we agree! As he noted, “small steps make a difference.”
Joe’s closing words about his giving touched my heart and will have a familiar ring to anyone working to help pets: “Will it make a fundamental change in society? I can’t answer that, but I think if it saves one dog or cat it is still worth it to me.”