Earlier this year, I had the incredible opportunity to serve as a Junior Council Member for the Week Junior. This experience was amazing and I was able to significantly improve my writing and interview skills! I am so grateful I had the chance to interact with such amazing professionals in the field of writing and journalism.

I am so thankful for this experience and the valuable lessons I learned, which I will carry forward throughout my life!

Throughout my time as a Junior Journalist, I spend time researching animals and fostering. Below is the article I created. Enjoy!

There are many animals in shelters waiting to be placed in loving homese. Here are three ways you can help.

Consider fostering:
Fostering is when an animal, such as a dog or cat, lives temporarily in a home while it waits to be adopted. Animals that are fostered can get more attention than they would in a shelter. Fostering can also help people figure out whether they are able to permanently take care of a pet, said Rena Lafaille, director of administration at the ASPCA Adoption Center in New York City. “Helping an animal learn to love and be loved gives you the chance to change its life for the better,” she said.

Adopt a pet.
If your family is ready to care for a pet permanently, adopting from a shelter has many benefits. For example, you can ask workers questions about the animal’s behavior to make sure it’s a match for your family. Lafaille said shelter workers can share an animal’s medical needs, energy levels, and how it might get along with other animals.

Educate friends.
Create flyers or give presentations to other kids in your area to help spread the word about the benefits of fostering and adopting pets. Your efforts can make a difference to animals in need!