HOW YOU CAN HELP
The animals in our care depend on us for every aspect of their daily lives. Their health, comfort and very survival depends on our willingness to care for them, and provide everything they need, when they need it. We don't mind feeding animals in the rain, or carrying water through snowdrifts. We don't mind cleaning cages in the cold, or building cages in 100 degree heat. We chose to do this because we feel these critters are worth it. We can't, however, do it alone. We need the generous support of people like you to help us keep providing for those who can't provide for themselves.
You can support our work and help us keep providing for these wonderful animals. Select any of the links below to learn how you can help us make a difference in the lives of some really special animals. Select the programs that work best for you, then jump in and start making a difference!
(Some portions of this page are still under construction-Please be patient as we update these areas, and check back often to see the changes we are making!)
IGive.com:
Now
Your Everyday Shopping Can Benefit Great Cats of Indiana!
Imagine this: buying beauty essentials, books, CDs and all your everyday items
online, only now it makes a difference for your favorite worthy cause. At
iGive.com®, you can shop for just about anything, from the smallest tube of
toothpaste to the biggest flat-panel TV, and a portion of every purchase is
donated to Great Cats of Indiana.
iGive.com is FREE for you and free for our organization. Shop for everyday items
at 650+ participating online stores including Vitamin Shoppe.com, Office Depot,
Barnes & Noble, drugstore.com, Lands’ End, QVC, and PETsMART. Up to 26% of each
purchase is donated to your favorite worthy cause.
A simple purchase is a good way to start giving! Join for free at:
http://www.igive.com/GreatCats.
Animal Adoptions:
By adopting one or more of the animals that call our facility home, you are helping them to keep getting what they need to live healthy, enriched lives in a caring, nurturing environment. Adoption fees are applied directly to the needs of the animals and are used to pay for things like food, vet care, and enclosure enhancements. Adopting one of our big cats or other animals is a way to make a difference in their lives. It is an opportunity for you to help and be a part of their future. Think about it, by adopting one of our animals, you are having a direct impact on the quality of its life.
Obviously, due to the special care and housing needs of these wonderful animals, we can't let you take your adopted animal home, but by adopting one or several of these animals, you are doing your part to give them the best care possible in an environment that is designed specifically with the needs of the animals in mind.
Our Adoption fee is $50. dollars per animal for one year. Since it isn't reasonable to take your adopted animal with you, for your adoption fee you will receive the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference in an animal's life, Plus
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a personalized certificate of adoption.
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an 8 X 10 photo of your adopted animal.
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a pass that will allow you to schedule visits to see your adopted animal.
Adoptions make wonderful gifts, for yourself, or for others who have an interest in the well-being or future of these animals.
To see a list of animals that are available to adopt, CLICK HERE
Animal Sponsorships
Enclosure Sponsorships
eBay: There are several different ways that you can support us through eBay, "the world's marketplace".
eBay giving works is the dedicated program for charity listings on eBay. This program allows you to list items on eBay and donate all or part of the final sale price to Great Cats of Indiana. You can build your business while supporting a cause important to you by utilizing unique search and listing features available to eBay giving works users. To donate a portion of your final sales price to Great Cats, just select the "donate to charity" box when setting up your listing, then designate "Great Cats of Indiana" as your preferred charity. Its that simple... eBay does the rest!
eBay giving works also allows you to find and bid on items others are
selling. Look for this Icon:
This Icon indicates that a portion of the sale price
will be donated to charity. See if that charity is "Great Cats of
Indiana", if it is, bid and win, and you have made a donation to our facility.
Great Cats of Indiana has its own eBay giving works selling account. Using this account allows us to take items on consignment and sell them for you, for a percentage of the sale price. This allows you to help us, while also taking advantage of the power of eBay, and is a perfect choice for those who want to utilize the capabilities of eBay, but haven't had time to set up their own accounts or learn the "ins and outs" of selling online.
Our supporters can also donate items to us that we will list through our selling account and convert into cash to purchase supplies and equipment that we need to keep our facility running smoothly.
State of Indiana Employees:
Great Cats of Indiana is a registered charity with your SECC program. (State Employees' Community Campaign) When signing up, or updating your contribution information, Remember to think about us! Our charity code is 594200.
Employer Matching Programs
Many companies offer programs where they will match some or all of a charitable donation made by its employees. Some companies will even double the donated amount! Check with your employer about what programs they may offer, and let us know what they need from us so we can provide it for you.
Donate Cash
Donate Supplies, equipment or Construction Materials
Our facility is always a work in progress. With building projects, repair projects and day to day operations, there is always something going on around here to keep up with the day to day needs of our residents. Daily use supplies, equipment and building materials are always in high demand, and are needed on a continual basis. Have something you don't need? Something you don't use? Extra or surplus materials or supplies? Odds are we have a use for them. Check out our WISH LIST to see the things we need the most. Have something that's not on the list? Contact us! We still may be able to use it. Call or email us to arrange a time to drop off supplies or materials, or just stop in during our normal business hours, and someone will be able to assist you.
Volunteer
Virtually all of the day to day activities involved in the care of our animals is performed by volunteers. Our volunteer staff is a valuable part of our facility, and we wouldn’t be able to maintain the number of animals we do without their help. Right now, volunteers are needed to help us maintain the level of care our animals deserve. We can use people to help with anything from tours and education, to "office work" to cleaning and building enclosures. Tradesmen are needed as well! Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, carpenters, metal workers.... We have projects that we could use your help with!
Are you up to the challenge of making a difference in the lives of some beautiful cats? Volunteering is an adventure, and provides the rare opportunity to become friends with some of the world’s largest and most magnificent animals.
What is like to be a volunteer at our facility?
“We are a small group of dedicated people working towards a common goal in a laid-back, family-like atmosphere”…. We appreciate the work our volunteers do, and realize that they are giving their time and experience to benefit our animals and our facility.
Being involved in the day to day care, and helping to meet the medical, nutrition and overall health needs of these beautiful cats is an unmatched opportunity that most people never get to experience. Developing a bond with a tiger, a lion a cougar or even a bear is a unique experience that will be cherished for years to come. Each of our volunteers has developed a special relationship with our animals and each has their favorites. A special bond develops between our keepers and our animals. A kind of mutual respect that allows us to interact on a more personal, individual level with each cat. This type of bond doesn’t happen by just visiting a facility. It doesn’t happen as you walk by and look at an animal; it happens when you are around them for an extended period of time. Long enough for them to become accustomed to your presence, and long enough for them to learn to trust you. It is only after you have earned their trust that they will allow you to be a part of their lives.
Sometimes the work we do is dirty, smelly or just plain gross. Other times the work here isn’t that bad. Most of our work involves cleaning enclosures, feeding animals, or building/repairing enclosures and buildings for the animals. When it is hot, we sweat, when it rains we get wet, and when it is cold, we get cold. We do what we do for these animals because they deserve it. They are innocent victims that deserve a second chance at living a comfortable life, and we try our best to provide that for them.
If you are able to perform some physical labor, are dependable and trustworthy, and can commit to at least a few hours each week, we would like to speak with you about becoming one of our volunteers. We provide the training; we provide the tools. All we need from you is a little time and an appreciation for the animals we serve.
GiveLine.com
Check out Giveline – a neat way to support
Great Cats of Indiana when you shop online. Giveline has over a million
bestselling products, and every purchase you make generates a significant
donation. We invite you to check out the store by clicking the following link:
http://www.giveline.com/default.asp?v=V085270327
Media/Advertising
Gift Shop/Online Store
Vehicle Donation Program