Despite the Muncie Animal Shelter remaining open, the winter months are causing a strain on Muncie's Animal Rescue Fund.
To help relieve some of that strain, a large dog crate will be available in the Atrium for Ball State University students to donate empty pop cans for ARF starting today. The cans will help pay for food, cat litter, medical care and other expenses for the animals in the shelter.
Sophomore entrepreneurship major and ARF volunteer Leisha Sigler said she wanted to collect empty cans from students since the beginning of the school year, but it was Mayor Sharon McShurley's announcement to close the Muncie Animal Shelter that pushed her to host the empty pop can drive for ARF.
Even though the Muncie Shelter will remain open, ARF still needs help to run, Sigler said. The no-kill shelter is at full capacity and needs help paying for medical expenses for all of the animals.
Can donations are the shelter's best fundraiser, ARF assistant director Dana Salkoski said. Anyone can donate empty cans all year round, but the container in the Atrium will make it easier for students to donate.
The shelter accepts any form of donation including cat food, dog food, cat litter and money, but the cans are the easiest and cheapest way for students to donate, Sigler said.
"We're college students so we don't have just anything to give away," she said. "Most of us drink things with cans, so it's an easy way to donate and give to others."
She said she tried to spread the word about the can drive by putting up flyers around campus and by starting a Facebook event so students could collect empty pop cans over Winter Break.
"Over 1,000 people have looked at the [Facebook] page," she said. "There were people who said they weren't going to [donate cans], but even if they saw the page, they can spread the word so others can collect."
Sigler said she hopes to collect a lot of empty cans, but she's more excited about getting the word out about ARF to other Ball State students.
"Students need to get involved anytime during the year, but in the winter volunteers show up less," she said. "[Volunteering at ARF] is great for students if they're stressed because they can go and play with a puppy."
Salkoski said ARF always is looking for volunteers. After filling out an application and getting a little bit of training, student volunteers can help out by walking and petting the animals, pulling weeds or anything else that needs to be done at the shelter, she said.
"It's always important to volunteer and give back to the community. Especially when it comes to helping out the animals because they depend on us," Salkoski said. "They're at the mercy of kindness from people."
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