Featured Animals: Darla and Daisy

Daisy and Darla are 7-year-old Beagles who came to the shelter as best friends. The two are “joined at the hip” and would love to be adopted together. They are fun, friendly, house-trained, and good with other dogs! Darla was recently diagnosed with a bulging disc in her back and is currently on cage rest, recovering in foster. Shelter staff can’t wait until the all-clear for these gal pals to be reunited together!

If you’re interested in meeting Daisy and Darla or want to learn more about them, please contact the Bloomington animal shelter at 812-349-3492.

Featured Topic: Supporting Municipal Animal Shelters

Municipal animal shelters are those run by your city or county. They care for animals that are lost, abandoned, or surrendered. Unfortunately, many of these shelters are overcrowded and often underfunded.

One of the most impactful ways to support them is by adopting. When you adopt from a municipal shelter, you’re giving an animal a new home and making room for the next one who needs help. These shelters house all kinds of pets, from dogs and cats to rabbits and other small animals, so it’s a great place to start if you’re considering adding a pet to your family.

If adoption isn’t an option for you, volunteering your time can make a big difference. Many municipal shelters have limited staff and rely heavily on volunteers. You can help with tasks like walking dogs, cleaning kennels, or even socializing shy animals to get them ready for adoption. Even just a couple of hours a week can be a huge help.

Another way to support your local shelter is by fostering animals. Fostering provides temporary homes for animals who might need extra care, like puppies or kittens that are too young to be adopted, or animals recovering from medical treatments. This also helps reduce the pressure on shelters, giving them more space to care for other animals.

Municipal shelters often rely on donations, and it doesn’t have to be cash. Many shelters need supplies like food, toys, blankets, and cleaning products. You can call your local shelter to ask what they need most — sometimes even used items in good condition are accepted. Every bit helps, especially for shelters operating on tight budgets.

Another powerful way to support municipal shelters is through advocacy. These shelters rely on public funding, which is often limited, and that can affect their ability to care for animals properly. You can help by staying informed about local policies and advocating for better support. Reach out to your city council or county officials to encourage them to allocate more funding for animal services. It’s important to attend city council meetings or write letters to your representatives. Shelters are often seen as an afterthought when it comes to budgeting, so showing that your community values animal welfare can push officials to provide better funding, more staff, and improved facilities.

You can also join or support local advocacy groups that are focused on animal issues, giving a stronger voice to the cause. Advocacy can also go beyond funding. You can help promote spay and neuter programs, push for better laws around animal cruelty, and work to ensure that shelters have the resources they need to reunite lost pets with their families or help them find new homes.

Whether you’re adopting, volunteering, fostering, donating, or advocating, there’s a lot you can do to support your local municipal shelter. These shelters are an essential part of our communities, and your help can make a huge difference in the lives of the animals they care for.

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Lil BUB’s Lil Show is a co-production of WFHB and Lil BUB’s Big Fund