January is the perfect time to declutter and organise your home - but before you discard any unwanted belongings, try donating them to your local charity or animal shelter.
There are so many rescue dogs in need of warm beds this winter, and many local animal shelters rely on donations to keep their furry friends warm.
Generally, most animal shelters accept towels, blankets and sheets but do not welcome pillows and feather duvets.
To make it easy for you to find the closest animal shelter near you, here are a few of the biggest names and the goods they accept.
The RSPCA has centres across England, Scotland and Wales with a whopping 152 branches to choose from - meaning there’s likely to be one near you.
Though the website doesn’t have a general section on donating bedding, the RSPCA often releases appeals asking for donations.
The RSPCA told TeamDogs: “We greatly appreciate donations of towels, blankets, duvets and other bedding to our animal centres as these items can help provide comfort and warmth to the animals in our care this winter.
“What may seem like rubbish to you can actually make a real difference in helping animals that have been rescued by the RSPCA from cruelty and neglect.
“Each local centre or branch may need different items depending on how much storage space they have, or if any of their stocks are low, so we would always ask kind members of the public who wish to donate items like this to the RSPCA, to please contact your local RSPCA centre first to check what items they may need and how to donate them.”
You can find your nearest centre on their website.
Just like the RSPCA, Dogs Trust has branches across England as well as homes in Ballymena in Northern Ireland and Cardiff and Bridgend in Wales, plus Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland.
The Dogs Trust website reads: “Our centres’ dogs are always grateful for pre-loved donations of towels and bedding (except feather duvets).
“Signage outside your local centre will direct you to a contact-free drop-off point.”
See the full list of Dogs Trust centres on their website.
Scotland’s resident animal welfare charity, the Scottish SPCA, has dog homes in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Due to the ongoing situation with coronavirus, they are currently limited as to which items they can accept as donations.
Their website states they do accept: new towels and blankets, used towels and blankets (which are clean and have been laundered) and hand knitted items.
They do not accept duvets and pillows, and cannot currently accept textile dog beds.
If you have items you would like to donate, please drop them off in the donation boxes outside the centres. For all larger items, please contact your nearest centre in the first instance.
You can find your closest centre on their website.
Those in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Cornwall, Essex and Hertfordshire can donate to the National Animal Welfare Trust’s (NAWT) rehoming centres.
The NAWT website reads: “Every year, each of our centres get through hundreds of blankets, towels and bed sheets.”
To donate to your local NAWT centre, you just need to drop them off in the donation bins outside or take them into reception.
You can find your local centre on the NAWT website.
If you’re based in Greater Manchester, you can also donate to Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home’s two centres.
These are located at Crofter’s House, Moss Brook Road, Harpurhey, in Manchester, and Knutsford Road, Grappenhall, in Warrington.
A statement on their website reads: “Any donations of blankets or towels will be very much appreciated by the thousands of dogs we receive each year.
“Please drop them off at either of our Homes – Thank You.”
You can find the centre closest to you on their website.
Dog lovers in Cardiff can donate bedding to Cardiff Dogs Home.
Their website states they welcome any donations of warm blankets and towels but cannot accept quilts, duvet covers, pillows and sheets.
If you have blankets and towels to donate, please drop them off at the dogs’ home in Llandough.
You can visit Cardiff Dogs Home for more information.
Unfortunately, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home centres do not accept pillows, cushions and duvets.
However, they are always in need of specialist dog bedding, also known as Vetbed, and indoor dog pens and crates. If you’d like to donate either of these items, please post them or take them to one of their three centres.
For more information on donations visit the Battersea website.