Project for Thrift Benefit for Sheltered Animals

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! In honor of that and my own rescued pups, I am again participating in the Thrift Benefit for Sheltered Animals with a group of fabulous DIY bloggers!

Did you know?

• Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
• Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats).
• Approximately 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.4 million dogs and 1.3 million cats).
• About 649,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 542,000 are dogs and only 100,000 are cats.
• Of the dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% of dogs who came in as strays are returned to their owner.
• Of the cats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized, and less than 5% of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owners.

(Source: ASPCA)

My very first dog growing up came from a shelter and, since then, I’ve only adopted rescue dogs.

This is the third year of the Thrift Benefit for Sheltered Animals. Here’s how it works: I go to a thrift store that benefits animal rescue and buy something that I can make over. Then, I make it over and post all about it here on the blog. Then I usually donate it back to the thrift store and let them sell it to make even more money for animal rescue.

But I have to be honest with you: this year, I might have to keep what I make and just give a nice donation to the thrift store! It’s going to be good!

Here’s what I found at Second Life Thrift:

It’s a wooden surveyor’s tripod. Well, it was. It’s about to be a super fantastic awesome lamp!

While at Second Life, I also got a shade and a lamp kit, so I have everything I need to create a lamp from this tripod. I can’t wait!

Here’s the bench I made in the First Thrift Benefit for Sheltered Animals:

I made it from a headboard and two chairs found at Second Life Thrift.

Here’s last year’s project:

I’m ready for this year’s challenge!

Click here to read Bear’s rescue story; click here to read Hank’s. And now that we’re looking for a new friend for Hank, we’re looking at rescue groups who pull dogs from shelters (and also rescue owner turn-ins, strays, and other dogs needing homes).

If you are considering adding a pet to your family, please adopt a shelter animal or an animal from a rescue group. I promise the animals rescue you right back! You can find a rescue group for any and all dog breeds, and many dog rescue groups have a mix of breeds, ages, and sizes from which to choose.

Stay tuned – the big reveal for this project, and all the great projects for this benefit, will be Tuesday, October 13!

Can’t wait for the big reveal? Check out my DIY tripod floor lamp here!