Teen collects donations for IndyHumane
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — During the coronavirus pandemic, animal shelters in Indiana have really felt the need for donations.
So, in Indianapolis, one teenager stepped in to help.
There’s no doubt 15-year old Abbie Knuteson is an animal lover. She has four dogs and volunteers at IndyHumane to help all of the animals she can.
“They can’t say anything. They don’t have a voice, so I feel like I need to be that voice, and the Humane Society needs to be the voice for them,” Knuteson said.
IndyHumane is a nonprofit and relies solely on donations. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, IndyHumane said more people have fostered or adopted pets. However, because the shelter isn’t as open to the public right now, it wasn’t getting as many donations. So, Knuteson had an idea.
“I thought why not try to see if I can get any donations. So I just did a porch drive to make it contactless for COVID-19,” Knuteson said.
She put flyers in mailboxes and posted on social media to spread awareness of the donation drive. Within a week, she had a large response.
“I got about 300 pounds of dog food, cat food and treats. I got roughly 100 toys and I got about 50 to 60 other generous donations,” Knuteson said.
There were so many donations that she filled three barrels at IndyHumane. Everyone there, including the animals, were shocked.
“It really just means so much,” said Hayley Wolf, the marketing coordinator at IndyHumane.
Wolf said they’re grateful for the donations; however, they are even happier to see an act of kindness during such a difficult time.
“To see that little glimmer of hope and people who are willing to make a difference and want to make the world better is truly remarkable,” Wolf said.
For Knuteson, giving gave her just as much in return.
“This was probably the greatest thing I have probably ever done,” the 15-year-old said.
She said this donation drive is just the start. She plans to hold an even bigger donation drive next year.
IndyHumane is always looking for donations of food, blankets, cleaning supplies, and monetary contributions. Anyone interested in donating can learn more on their website.