---
title: "How to Help Animals When You Can't Adopt"
description: "Foster for a while, volunteer an afternoon, send someone an animal, help a lost pet get home or look out for community cats. The rescues listed are the ones taking those enquiries on WhiskerMatch."
canonical: https://www.whiskermatch.com/help
markdown_url: https://www.whiskermatch.com/help.md
generated_from: "canonical page server-rendered HTML; the HTML page is authoritative"
last_modified: 2026-10-09
last_updated: 2026-10-09
publisher: "Veldarium Technology Systems LLC"
---

Help an animal

# You don't have to adopt to matter.

A couch for a few weeks, an afternoon, one message, a poster. Pick one.

## Foster for a while

The rescue covers care and decides placements. Short stays help too. [How fostering works](https://www.whiskermatch.com/guides/how-fostering-works)

We couldn't load the rescues just now. Try again in a moment.

## Give an afternoon

Walking, cleaning, transport, photos: rescues run on people who show up.

We couldn't load the rescues just now. Try again in a moment.

## Send someone an animal

The right person is often one message away from you.

[Meet someone](https://www.whiskermatch.com/meet) [My hearts](https://www.whiskermatch.com/hearts)

## Help a lost animal home

Lost or found an animal? The first hour matters most. The guides say what to do, in order.

[Lost & Found](https://www.whiskermatch.com/lost-found) [Found an animal](https://www.whiskermatch.com/guides/found-a-pet)

## Look out for community cats

Notice them, and tell the right group privately. Never a public map.

[Community cats](https://www.whiskermatch.com/community-cats) [What TNR is](https://www.whiskermatch.com/guides/what-is-tnr)

## Learn what helps

Six three-minute lessons, each with something safe to do outside.

[Whisker World lessons](https://www.whiskermatch.com/world#learn)

---

About WhiskerMatch: WhiskerMatch is workflow software for animal shelters and rescues that keeps one reviewed record per animal across intake, foster care, adoption review and public profiles, with people making every placement and publishing decision.

## Sitemap

See the full [WhiskerMatch sitemap](https://www.whiskermatch.com/sitemap.md) for every public page, or [llms.txt](https://www.whiskermatch.com/llms.txt) for a short summary.