INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Whether you live in a small town or a major metropolitan area, there is probably an animal shelter near you. Directories of animal shelters are available online. Find a shelter close to you, whose values you agree with, and look into volunteering. Most shelters have some form of training or certification program you must undergo before beginning to volunteer. Make sure you know what you need to do before you can start, and work time for training into your schedule. Not all shelters share the same values. For example, some shelters are no-kill while some euthanize animals if they're not adopted within specific time frames. Make sure you agree with the values of the shelter you choose. A lot of shelters have restrictions, often regarding age, for volunteers. Look into such restrictions when looking for volunteer programs. When you give money to a local shelter, the money goes to getting animals veterinary care, toys, blankets, beds, food, treats, and a variety of new supplies. You do not necessarily have to donate to a shelter in your area. If, for example, your local shelter does not have a no-kill policy and you disagree with this, you can send your money elsewhere. Many shelters take donations online. A monetary donation is not the only way to give back to a shelter. You can donate any amount of pet supplies. Just ask about any restrictions beforehand. Some shelters have bans on particular brands of food, litter, and toys. If you're getting married or throwing a big party, you can donate part of your gift registry. You can request that guests donate to a particular shelter rather than buying you a present. If you're unable adopt an animal of your own, many shelters have programs where you can foster an animal until they find a permanent home. There are a variety of reasons animal shelters seek fosters. The shelter is sometimes not big enough to house all the animals. An animal may be recovering from surgery or sickness and cannot be around other animals. Some animals do not do well in shelters and show signs of stress and need extra socialization. Many people worry about getting attached to their foster pet. This is a risk. Most shelters allow foster homes to adopt their pets if they meet all the requirements. However, if you cannot adopt your foster pet the experience is still rewarding. Fostering frees up space for other animals and allows the shelter to learn more about the foster pet's personality, upping that pet's chances at finding a permanent home. Reminding yourself of these benefits can help with some of the emotional difficulty. If you have the time and space, consider adopting a pet from the shelter. This is a direct way to improve the life of animal that's suffering. Adopting can save a life, as 2.7 million shelter pets are euthanized each year. Because of limited space, pets are sometimes euthanized if they cannot find homes. Adoption takes business away from puppy mills. Puppy mills are factory style breeding facilities where house dogs in poor conditions, keeping them in very small cages and breeding them over and over again. When dogs are no longer able to breed, they are often abandon or killed.

SUMMARY: Volunteer at a shelter in your area. Donate to a local shelter. Foster a pet. Adopt an animal.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're using a phone or tablet, tap the blue and white "f" icon typically found on the home screen or in the app drawer. On a computer, navigate to https://www.facebook.com and log in with your username and password. Use this method if you want to poll the users of a Facebook Group you belong to. If you're using the mobile app, tap the menu that looks like three horizontal lines at the bottom or top corner of the screen and select Groups. On a computer, click the Groups link in the left panel. Keep in mind that only users of the Group you select will be able to answer your poll questions. The steps are a little different depending on your platform: Android: Tap Share something with the group, scroll down, and then tap Poll. iPhone/iPad: Tap the three dots next to "Write something" and select Create a Poll. Computer: Click Write something near the top of the group and select Poll. Tap the Add something field to start typing the question you want to ask. The wording will vary depending on your platform, but it'll appear below the question. After entering your first possible answer, tap the Add option again to add an alternative. Again, the option you see will vary by platform. This shares your poll with the Group. Poll results will be updated live as people vote. To see the results, you'll need to vote on the poll yourself.

SUMMARY: Open Facebook on your computer, phone, or tablet. Navigate to your Groups. Select the Group you want to poll. Select the Poll option. Type your poll question. Tap Add a poll option or Add Option to add poll answers. Tap Publish or Post.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If your spider plant is outdoors, plant it in an area with well-draining soil, such as soil that contains sand. If your spider plant is indoors in a pot, select a potting medium like vermiculite or coco coir. Don't fret too much over the soil, as spider plants are very adaptable. Spider plants don't need a ton of natural light, so they do well in bathrooms and bedrooms. They also thrive in windowsills, though they should be set about 12 inches (30cm) away from south-facing windows during the spring and summer months. Outdoor plants should have moderate to deep shade during the day, as too much direct sunlight may scorch a spider plant. If you live in an area where the temperature fluctuates wildly or reaches extremes, your spider plants will do better indoors. They prefer a temperature between 50F (10C) to 80F (27C) and can't thrive in outdoor areas with freezing or searing temperatures. Spider plants thrive in humid climates, so place a humidifier in the same room as your spider plant.

SUMMARY: Choose well-draining soil or potting medium. Provide moderate to deep shade or indirect light. Maintain moderate and consistent temperature and humidity.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Thyme will bloom with tiny white, lavender or pink flowers. If you grow your thyme for culinary purposes, you'll get the most potent flavor from the herbs if you harvest right before the flowers begin to open. As for the flowers themselves, feel free to pinch them off if you like. This will stimulate the production of more leaves. However, the flavor of thyme won't be negatively affected if you allow your plants to bloom. If you enjoy the way the flowers look, allow them to grow freely. You can harvest thyme at any point in the year, although the flavor is usually the best in June or July. This is when the flavor is most concentrated. Cut off fresh green sprigs in the morning. Leave behind the woody parts of the stalk. Strip the tiny leaves off the stems before using them. When trimming off sprigs, always try to leave behind at least five inches of growth on the plant. This will help it continue to flourish. The more you trim and prune your thyme, the more it will grow. Regular trimming will also make your plants grow in a more rounded shape. Check an almanac or online to see when the first frost usually occurs in your area. Stop cutting thyme about two weeks before this date. Hang the sprigs in a dark, well-ventilated area to dry them. You can also dry them by laying them out on a tray and putting them in a food dehydrator. Once the pieces dry out completely, the leaves will easily fall off the stems. After you've removed the dried leaves, store them in an airtight container until you're ready to use them. You can also store your dried thyme in the freezer or preserved in oil or vinegar.

SUMMARY:
Harvest thyme just before the plant flowers for the best flavor. Clip off sprigs off as needed using scissors or pruning shears. Dry the harvested thyme sprigs somewhere warm and shady.