For Rescues: Where do you purchase your supplies, such as crates, sleepers, etc?

Peddle donations! Get your 503c status so you can give out tax receipts. I watch Craigslist a LOT. Used crates are fine so long as you spray them down with bleach, let them sit for 15-20 minutes then rinse, preferably in a shower with hot water. You can also find food, toys, etc. If I see something I want and they are not asking ahuge amount, say under $100, then I will first ask if they would consider donating their item to my rescue in exchange for a tax deductible receipt.. If they say no, that is okay too, and sometimes they offer a discount at that point. It never hurts to ask.

Put an ad on craigslist if you have one in your area (www.craigslist.org) asking for unwanted towels, blankets, sheets, whatever. They dont have to be beautiful, just cozy because you will be bleaching them in between animals anyways. Try to find a sewing club who would be willing to take in the donated linens, cut them down to size and finish the edges to make no fuss "beds" to change out quickly. I double mine up with towels and thinner blankets, 4x fold for sheets.

As for getting crates in bulk, just google it and shop around. Search for "wholesale kennel", "discount", "bulk", etc. Also eBay is another good resource.

I really like this site for pet meds, they are fairly cheap and do not require an Rx for the basics. They ship within 4-6 days to Ca from Australia. I use them all the time, they are all top quality.

http://www.petsvetshop.com.au/categories.php?categ...

We get a huge discount with Pet food express on Canidae all stage natural dog food. We buy it in bulk and often get good discounts on other products there as well, but they are a bit pricey for carriers or bedding.

Finally have a "Stock my shelter" BBQ, wrangle up some cute puppies and kittens to show off then hand out flyers in your community. Provide the basics, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, soda, water, fruit, nothing too expensive or involved, maybe find a volunteer to organize games, etc. You can probably find local vendors who would be willing to donate food, since you are a non-profit you need to figure out who is going to be the "face" of the rescue, and that person needs to go knocking on doors, meeting local business owners, passing out flyers or cards, etc. Our local Costco donates food for our events, as does Safeway. Dont be afraid to ask to meet with the owner/manager, though for larger companies I would suggest calling ahead to make an appt as unexpected solicitations are sometimes frowned upon. When you introduce yourself, dont immediately ask for something, simply state you are launching a new non-profit and would like to get to know other business leaders in the area. That would be a great time to invite them to the BBQ.

Back to the BBQ - charge a small fee to get in, to go towards funding supplies for your shelter. At the event set up a booth, with a person there to talk to people and explain what you need, have a printed list handy to give out, with all needed supplies as well as a few facts about how quickly everyday items like litter and newspaper disappear, or how quickly you anticipate going through supplies based on other area shelters i.e. to house 10 cats we will need at least 12 tons of litter ever month, if you are not up and running yet. This is also a great opportunity to solicit volunteersto help clean cages, socialize, etc. You can have another person answering questions and managing a volunteer sign up sheet.

Also you need to build a website asap as most contributors use that as a means to check a company's credibility these days.

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As someone who has worked in the industry for over 3 decades I would start by contacting either the manufacturer or your local distributor. The mark up on cages is not as high as you probably think. A lot of stores make only about 20 to 25% but there is some wiggle room for them to help out. I would find a good neighborhood store and see if they will work with you on price. I might even offer to do something in conjunction with the store, such as host an adoption on their premises or see if you can hand out a coupon for that store with every adoption you do from the shelter. Another thought would be to contact the manufacturer and offer to promote your products through your rescue. Like any other walk of life, it is about developing relationships with people who can help you. All manufacturer reps have alloted monies to promote their product. Most people want to help.

I know the shelter I work with is currently receiving dog food donations from a local large retail store, and the Petco where we take our dogs for adoption will often donate products.

Plus people will frequently donate items, or give us crates, toys, etc. when they surrender their dogs.

I go to the Dollar Store once a month, and buy collars for the shelter. I have seen some of the exact same collars in pet stores listed at $8.00, and I get them for a buck. :o)

I buy some dog toys there, as well.

I will ask the people at the shelter where they get the crates - maybe they know where to get a deal.

All of my crates, and supplies come from my local Feed Store, that is where I have bought all my dog foods for over 8 yrs....I get a 35% discount on all that is for my Akita Rescue.......

And, sometimes more, if I buy lots at one time, I have even gotten up to 50% off..

If a company knows what it is for, and you get in good with them, you can get some really good discounts.....

What he does not have in stock, he has always ordered for me....

Well, outta here till Sunday PM...everyone have a great weekend and be good while I am gone now, LOL

Go to hand-me-down stores such as The Salvation Army. They will sometimes have pet things,

Ask for donations from the community, take anything and everything. Take the things you can't use and sell them to buy things you need or put it in an emergency fund.

Here are some sites, I found them by looking for wholesale pet supplies:

http://www.dollardays.com/wholesale-pets.html

http://www.wholesaledistributorsnet.com/pets.html

http://www.dog.com/

Here's a site about what to look for when choosing a supplier:

http://www.petpip.com/bulk-pet-supplies-suppliers-...

There are a lot of people and businesses who are willing to donate to such a good cause. Put an ad in the local paper, and talk to local businesses (especially pet stores and vets). If there is a veterinary school near by try them; they are usually very helpful. If you contact a pet food company like Science Diet or Nutro, they often donate or sell you food cheap; afterall it benefits them when the adoptive owners continue their pet on their brand of food. Good luck :)

I got my crate from an Ebay shop, Its the largest possible, metal wire mesh, metal tray base, easily collapseable with carry handles, Its housed my Boxer for a year and we take it camping with us and is still as new... It cost me less than £40 It did seem to look the same as the others, but it has lasted us well and it was cheaper, maybe you can make a deal with them if you are going to be buying a bit....or you could list their name for a deal.

I'll try and find the shop name for you and post it.

I'm pretty sure this was it, they only do crates and mats

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Pet-Europe__W0QQ_arm...

Okay.....got a bit of a secret for you.......Go to your local airport, and check with the major airlines that carry dogs (not in the cabin), below. (BTW...this makes me VERY sad), but many times they will wind up with crates and don't know what to do with them. Explain to them what you do, leave them a good "card" with your information on it (if you have one), and hope that they will call you. I work for an airline that does not carry animals in this particular way, and only in the cabin with the owner under their seat. When I retire, I hope to be doing the very same thing in a smaller range of a way. PS. you didn't hear this from me. But, from one lover of dogs to another, I'd do anything to help a good person that rescues and saves in any way possible. Hugs to you for doing so. :oPilot

I'm in NC and I always look in thrift stores, on craigslist, and on freecycle. They aren't new and it may take a little more work but it will be way cheaper in the long run, even if you can get some of them this way. If you will email me where you are and an email address I would even be willingly to help you look for them.