Many of us wish we had more money to donate. Here's at least one way to help your local animal rescue group or shelter without a checkbook -- vote in Care2's second America's Favorite Animal Shelter contest.

Top prizes are $10,000 for the winning shelter, $1,000 for second- and third-place shelters, and $500 for shelters placing fourth though 20th.

But here's the kicker that justifies each and every vote, including the one you'll hopefully make before the Jan. 31 deadline: Any shelter with five or more votes in a week will be entered that week to win $500 just for being listed.

The complete list of local candidates to date is as follows:

Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, Chagrin Falls
Mini Mutts Rescue, Madison
Cherished Cockers, Mentor
Helping Hands Pet Adoption Network, Mentor
Nine Lives Rescue, Painesville
Forget-Me-Knot Pet Rescue, Parkman Township
NE Ohio Greyhound Rescue Inc., Perry
South Euclid Humane Society, South Euclid

Don't see your local shelter listed? It can be listed within 24 hours of the shelter registering with Adopt-a-Pet.com, the new name for 1-800-Save-A-Pet, which is sponsored by Purina and North Shore Animal League America.

No Ohio shelters won the big bucks last year. This year's contest began Dec. 1 and our local shelters have yet to make an appearance among the Top 100. Isn't that random drawing totally worth a call to your local shelter representative?

-- Sandra M. Klepach

Are you campaigning for a particular shelter? Take advantage of our commenting space below to state your case and let's see what happens. Remember, voting ends Jan. 31.