Great Animal Shelters Around Princeton: Adopt, Volunteer Or Donate

PRINCETON, NJ — Spring brings National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, but when that has come and gone, many pets remain, waiting for homes in Princeton.

Those adorable puppy and kitty eyes may seem unfairly enticing, but pets are great companions. It's been shown and reported that pets can increase wellness and enhance mental health.

If you just love animals but you're not in a situation to adopt right now, you might consider volunteering at a local shelter. Help is usually needed with exercising dogs, cleaning, feeding pets, and helping to raise funds. Donating is also a way you can get pets into homes; your donation may keep costs of local veterinary care low so more people can afford to adopt pets.

Best Animal Shelters Around Princeton

SAVE calls itself "a friend to homeless animals." The nonprofit has been rescuing homeless animals in the Princeton area since 1941. It's on Route 601 in Skillman.

• Dog and cat food lead the shelter wishlist, so consider donating or host your own fundraiser.
• SAVE is the contracted holding facility for a list of 11 municipalities.
• Learn about fostering and more on the SAVE Facebook page.

West Jersey Volunteers for Animals is a foster-based rescue organization that works to save adoptable dogs at risk of euthanizing and helps them find homes. The nonprofit works with shelters around Philadelphia, South Jersey, and elsewhere. They save about 700 pets every year.

• There are avenues of service, so find out how you might volunteer.
• Fostering helps keep homeless animals out of shelter cages while they await forever homes.

Easel Animal Rescue League of Mercer County is busy holding adoption events around Princeton in May, including cat adoptions at Petsmart on Saturdays, and dog adoptions at varied locations. On May 14 there's a dog adoption event at Bag of Bones Bakery.

• Easel aims to prevent pet euthanizing and is working toward building a new facility to house dogs and cats.
• You can foster or volunteer for Easel, and there are lots of ways to donate, including a round-up app. See Easel on Facebook.

Animal Friends for Education and Welfare of East Windsor is ready to facilitate fostering and placement of homeless animals. AFEW is a nonprofit volunteer shelter and adoption organization.

• Homeless resident animals receive vaccinations, spay or neutering, veterinary care, and microchips.
• Volunteers help social the dogs and walk them.
• Visit AFEW on Facebook to find out more.

Manes & Tails Organization
Not to play favorites with the canine and feline, the equestrian also sometimes needs to be rescued. This New Jersey organization helps older or abandoned horses — sometimes headed for slaughter — to find homes.

• Their website explains the organization has been "Rescuing, Rehabbing, Retraining and Rehoming Horses Since 1995."
• You may not have a stable to take in a horse but you can learn more. You may want to support these horses another way; you can donate to this unique nonprofit.

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