Service animals provide help to many who have disabilities or suffer from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their daily lives, whether it’s help with getting ready in the morning or help remaining calm in a crowded area. Unfortunately though, acquiring a service animal can be very costly, and the price can range from nothing to up to $10,000. Luckily, that’s where fundraising comes in handy to cover some (or all) of the costs that may be associated with obtaining a service animal. Whether it’s through bake sales, community-held events, or through crowdfunding, there are so many different ways to fundraise for a service animal. We have compiled a list of 5 ideas to help kick of your fundraising journey and we hope this helps you obtain the help you need without having to dig deep into your own wallet.
5 Fundraiser Ideas
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Walk the Dogs: A great way to obtain funds for a service dog is dog walking! If you are unable to do this yourself, have a friend or a loved one help you fundraise by walking dogs around your neighborhood! Charge a small fee for each dog that is walked and make sure to let the pet owners know that all funds earned are going towards obtaining a service animal. Dog walking allows you to hang out with some dogs while raising money towards a service animal and pet owners definitely will thank you for it. For more fun, grab some of your friends and family that are willing to help and start a dog walking party! This is a fun and easy way to get some exercise, some fresh air, and some time with furry friends while raising money towards a service animal!
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Cleaning out the Garage: Another easy and fun way to raise some money towards your service animal is to hold a garage sale! Have family and friends gather items they don’t want or use anymore and have them name their desired price. Make some catchy advertisements and post them all throughout your neighborhood to help bring awareness to your fundraiser and even ask neighbors and others around your community to donate items they don’t need or use anymore. This event allows you to spring clean while fundraising for a service animal and is definitely easy to organize. So go out there, grab items you have no use for anymore, and raise some money!
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Bark Sale: Everyone loves a good treat, so why not raise money while satisfying some sweet tooths? Have members in your community bake some tasty treats to sell and all proceeds go towards a service animal. Any leftovers can be donated to your local food bank or homeless shelter to help those who are in need and may benefit from the extra treats! Set up your bake sale near a busy area like a festival or other community event where people passing by have the opportunity of seeing what you have and soon you will start raising money towards a service animal!
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Donations: Gathering donations for a fundraiser towards a service animal is one of the easiest ways to get the funds you need. There are many different ways to receive donations and it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go door-to-door either (although that is an option). Members of your community can help by donating a couple of dollars and try asking schools, churches, fire departments, libraries, and local businesses to donate to help raise the funds that will enable you to get a service animal and receive the help that you need!
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Crowdfund: Given our advances in technology today, fundraising is no longer limited to just members in your community. Through crowdfunding websites like Wishbazaar, fundraisers can go beyond your community and can be seen and supported by individuals across the country and the world. Depending on the amount of funds you need, you can setup your wish based off of those needs and then the money can easily be collected through our platform. So go out there, make a wish on Wishbazaar for your fundraising needs, and see how crowdfunding will help raise money towards a service animal!
We hope these ideas have helped inspire you to start a fundraiser towards obtaining a service animal. Even though the costs may be heavy on your pocket, you don’t have to pay for the animal alone. Members all around your community and even around the world are out there wanting to help you get the assistance you need and fundraising enables them to do that. So go out there and start a fundraising campaign towards a service animal!