January is a great time to declutter and organize your home – but before you dispose of your belongings, try donating them to your local charity or animal shelter.
There are so many rescue dogs in need of warm beds this winter, and many local animal shelters rely on donations to keep their furry friends warm.
Generally, most animal shelters accept towels, blankets, and linens but do not accept feather pillows and duvets.
To make it easy for you to find the animal shelter closest to you, here are some of the biggest names and the products they accept.
RSPCA centers
The RSPCA has centers across England, Scotland and Wales with 152 branches to choose from, meaning there will likely be one near you.
Although the website does not have a general section on bedding donation, the RSPCA often publishes appeals asking for donations.
The RSPCA told TeamDogs, “We greatly appreciate donations of towels, blankets, quilts and other bedding to our animal centers as these items can help bring comfort and warmth to the animals in our care this winter.
“What may seem like rubbish to you can actually make a real difference in helping animals that have been rescued by the RSPCA from cruelty and neglect.
“Each local center or branch may need different items depending on how much storage space they have or if one of their stocks is low, so we always ask the kind members of the public who wish to donate. items like this at RSPCA, please contact your local RSPCA center first to check what items they may need and how to donate them.
You can find your nearest center on their website.
(Image: Getty)
Dog Trust Centers
Like the RSPCA, Dogs Trust has branches throughout England as well as houses in Ballymena in Northern Ireland and Cardiff and Bridgend in Wales, as well as in Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland.
The Dogs Trust website states, “The dogs in our centers are always grateful for pre-loved donations of towels and bedding (except feather duvets).
“Signage outside your local center will direct you to a contactless drop-off point. “
See the full list of Dogs Trust centers on their website.
Scottish SPCA Centers
The Scottish animal welfare charity, the Scottish SPCA, has dog houses in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Due to the current situation with the coronavirus, they are currently limited in what items they can accept as donations.
Their website says they accept: new towels and blankets, used towels and blankets (which are clean and have been washed), and hand-knitted items.
They do not accept duvets and pillows and currently cannot accept fabric dog beds.
If you have any items you would like to donate, please drop them off in the donation boxes outside of the centers. For all larger items, please contact your nearest center first.
You can find your nearest center on their website.
National Animal Welfare Trust Centers
Those in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Cornwall, Essex and Hertfordshire can donate to National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) Placement Centers.
The NAWT website states, “Each year each of our centers receives hundreds of blankets, towels and sheets.
To donate to your local NAWT center, simply drop them off in the donation bins outside or bring them to reception.
You can find your local center on the NAWT website.
Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home Centers
If you are based in Greater Manchester, you can also donate to both Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home centers.
These are located at Crofter’s House, Moss Brook Road, Harpurhey, Manchester, and Knutsford Road, Grappenhall, Warrington.
A statement on their website says, “Any donation of blankets or towels will be greatly appreciated by the thousands of dogs we receive each year.
“Please drop them off at one of our homes – Thank you.” “
You can find the center closest to you on their website.
(Image: Getty)
Home Cardiff Dogs
Dog lovers in Cardiff can donate bedding to Cardiff Dogs Home.
Their website says they accept any donation of warm blankets and towels, but cannot accept comforters, duvet covers, pillows, and sheets.
If you have blankets and towels to donate, please drop them off at the Dog House in Llandough.
You can visit Cardiff Dogs Home for more information.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Visitor Centers
Unfortunately, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home centers do not accept pillows, cushions and duvets.
However, they still need specialized dog bedding, also known as Vetbed, as well as indoor dog pens and crates. If you would like to donate any of these items, please post them or take them to one of their three centers.
For more information on donations visit Battersea website.
