Why small-town shelters are suffering in silence-and what people can do to help.

"People donate when they see the animals. So, we bring the animals to them."

SAINT PETERSBURG, FL / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / Kris Rotonda, founder of Jordan's Way, is calling on the public to pay attention to a silent crisis happening in America's rural communities-the slow collapse of small-town animal shelters. While city-based shelters often receive national attention and corporate support, rural shelters are frequently underfunded, understaffed, and on the edge of closure.

Jordan's Way is raising awareness through its ongoing campaign, Why We Go Rural, highlighting the urgent need for funding, supplies, and visibility for small, overlooked shelters.

The Hidden Emergency in Plain Sight

In the U.S., over 6.3 million pets enter animal shelters each year. But not all shelters have the same shot at saving lives. While urban facilities benefit from large donor pools and adoption programs, many rural shelters operate without paid staff, heating, or even food donations.

"These aren't places with marketing teams or fundraising departments," says Kris Rotonda. "Some of them are just two people doing everything they can to keep the doors open. We've pulled up to shelters with no electricity, broken fences, and dogs living in crates. And still, those people show up every day trying to help."

Jordan's Way has visited more than 2,000 shelters and raised over $15 million for animals in need. Rotonda and his team travel the country in an RV, hosting 300+ high-energy fundraising events per year, often broadcasting live from the kennels.

"We go live from the cage. We show the animals. We say their names. That's what makes people care. That's what makes them give," Rotonda explains. "People don't ignore what they see with their own eyes."

Why Rural Shelters Need More Than Kind Words

Rural shelters are often located in counties with low tax bases, no animal control services, and minimal access to grants. Many rely on volunteers who work other jobs and fund the shelter out of pocket.

Rotonda recalls one shelter in Mississippi where "the only full-time caregiver was 75 years old. She had six dogs, two broken kennels, and one fan running in 90-degree heat."

Stories like this are not rare. Many of the shelters Jordan's Way visits lack basic resources-from food and medicine to blankets and cleaning supplies. A few hundred dollars can mean survival. A few thousand can change everything.

Yet these shelters are often last in line for donations.

A Call to Action: What You Can Do Right Now

You don't need to buy an RV or start a nonprofit to make a difference. According to Rotonda, "Showing up matters. Even one person can make a huge impact in a small shelter."

Here's what everyday people can do:

1. Pick One Local Shelter-And Visit

Ask them what they need this week. Not what they'll need someday.

2. Use Social Media to Spotlight a Pet

Go live, take a photo, or share a video. Tell your friends why this animal matters.

3. Fund One Small Thing

Can you cover food for a week? A vet bill? One adoption fee?

4. Volunteer-Even If It's Just One Hour

Offer to walk dogs, clean kennels, or answer phones. Time is one of the biggest gifts.

5. Challenge Your Circle

Ask your friends to skip one night out and donate instead. $20 goes a long way in a rural shelter.

Jordan's Way: Built for Impact, Not Ego

Since 2019, Jordan's Way has traveled from coast to coast in a customized RV, turning live fundraising into a movement. Each event raises money for a specific shelter-in real time, for real animals. The organization doesn't take a cut. Funds go directly to the shelters, usually the same day.

Rotonda named the organization after Jordan, a dog he rescued who was nearly euthanized after years in a shelter. Jordan's story became the mission. "We don't wait for perfect conditions. We go," he says. "That's the Jordan's Way."

About Jordan's Way

Jordan's Way is a national nonprofit founded by Kris Rotonda to raise funds, awareness, and hope for under-resourced animal shelters across the U.S. Operating out of a branded RV, the organization hosts live fundraising events at over 300 shelters annually and has helped raise more than $15 million. Jordan's Way exists to give shelter animals a voice-and to bring urgent help to the people fighting to save them.

Media Inquiries
Follow: @jordanswaytour
Jordan's Way
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.jordanswaytour.com

SOURCE: Jordan's Way



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