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Photos and videos have been rolling in of the devastation caused by recent wildfires and record-breaking hurricanes—images of pets and people in distress, homes and businesses destroyed. With a heart for people and their pets, you may be wondering how you as a pet sitter can pitch in to help.

Busy pet-sitting schedules may prevent pet sitters and dog walkers from traveling to affected areas to directly help with clean-up or rescue efforts, but that doesn’t mean that pet sitters can’t assist those in need. As leaders in their local communities, pet-sitting business owners are positioned to make a big impact as they muster support and donations for the communities impacted by man-made or natural disasters.

Pet Sitters International offers these ideas for pet sitters who want to help when disaster strikes:

1. Check on any pet sitters you know in the affected area. As a member of Pet Sitters International and any networking groups, you may know someone who was directly affected by the disaster. Check in to see if pet sitters in those areas are okay and let them know that you’re thinking about them. You can provide some support and comfort during a trying time, but don’t bombard them with messages. You may also be able to find out if there is anything they need and if they know of the best pet-related groups to donate to in the aftermath of the disaster.

2. Donate a portion of your pet-sitting revenues to relief efforts. Most organizations and disaster-relief experts will tell you that money is the best resource to donate in the wake of a disaster. Shelters, rescue groups and other nonprofit organizations can easily put money toward their most urgent needs, so consider donating to a worthy group. After disasters, news outlets and websites often compile lists of groups involved in relief efforts, but be sure to do your research first to make sure you choose a reputable group for your donations.

One way to help your clients feel involved—and potentially inspire others to give—is donating a portion of your pet-sitting revenues for a set period of time to a group involved in relief efforts.

3. Organize a Hungry Bowl pet food/supplies drive. Animal shelters in or around disaster-stricken areas are often in need of supplies after dealing with damaged property or an influx of rescued pets, but before planning a pet food/supplies drive, check with the organization to see if they can use the items. Some organizations may have limited storage space but perhaps could benefit from a pet food drive later in the year, when the flow of donations has slowed. Also, consider how you would transport the items to the organization.

PSI members have ready access to pet food drive tools thanks to PSI’s Hungry Bowl™ Pet Food Drive campaign. The campaign resources make it easy for members to organize a local pet food drive any time of the year, offering step-by-step instructions and customizable fliers, box signs and press releases.

4. Foster a pet or offer a discount to clients who foster. Will animals from the affected areas be sent to your community to be housed at local shelters or with foster families? Consider fostering a pet or offering a discount to clients who foster those pets. Pets from disaster-stricken areas will be in need of comfort and warm beds.

5. Volunteer at a shelter. If your local shelters are receiving an influx of pets from affected areas, consider volunteering at a shelter if time allows, or offer to walk the dogs. This is a great way to put your pet-care skills to great use in the community while also helping those most vulnerable to a disaster.

6. Share information on your social media pages. Your business’s social media pages are great outlets for sharing posts and articles about groups in need of help following a disaster. Just be sure you are sharing reputable information. Unfortunately, scammers often try to capitalize on disaster relief efforts.

7. Take a FEMA Animals in Disasters course. Improving your knowledge can prepare you to be a resource to others when disaster strikes. FEMA’s Animals in Disasters: Awareness and Preparedness course is designed to “increase awareness and preparedness among animal owners and care providers, and to describe how typical hazards affect animals and what can be done by responsible owners to reduce the impact of disasters.” FEMA also offers an Animals in Disasters: Community Planning course. These FEMA courses are also approved continuing-education credits for PSI’s Certified members.

Bonus tip: You never know when a disaster could affect your community. Are you prepared? As a pet sitter, you should have a plan in place to guide how you will respond if a disaster strikes your area. View this PSI blog post for three tips to keep in mind when creating a disaster plan for your pet-sitting business. PSI also offers an Ebook on this subject, What Every Professional Pet Sitter Should Know about Disaster Planning.

Pet sitters, do you have any other ideas for assisting with disaster-relief efforts or donating to a good cause? Share in the comments section below.