If you volunteer or work at your local shelter or spay/neuter clinic, or are involved in rescue work to help animals in your community, we’ve got a couple of questions for you...

Q. When is a paper plate not just a paper plate?

A. When it’s a make-shift E-collar for kittens who’ve just been spayed or neutered! Time- and money-savers, paper plates are great for use in foster homes, where you may not always have access to E-collars (especially late at night!), and can be used in shelter clinics when a quick E-collar is called for.

Q. What can you put in a baby pool other than water?

A. Puppies! Easy to clean, disinfect and reuse, baby pools are perfect for use in a shelter setting as a safe and sanitary area to contain pups, as well as for providing mom easy retreat for some R&R.

Q. Does saving animals’ lives knock your socks off?

A. Baby socks can be used to keep paws warm while animals are under anesthesia and recovering from surgery, as shown here.

Seeing a common theme? These everyday items can make life a little easier for the homeless animals you help care for, and can go a long way to stretch precious dollars for your local agencies, many of which rely on volunteers and animal advocates in the community.

With a little help from shelters all around the country, the team at ASPCApro, ASPCA.org’s sister website for animal welfare professionals, has put together a downloadable guide that’s free for shelter and rescue staff and volunteers, and anyone else involved in helping their community’s animals.

From Trash to Treasure, Shelter Edition features 16 DIY projects, including those shown above, using various repurposed and recycled materials—everything from carpet scraps to yogurt cups!

Click here to get your free Trash to Treasure, Shelter Edition guide today, and please forward this blog to any animal advocates, shelters and rescue groups that may be interested—a little creativity can go a long way to save lives (and money!).