Many people have dreams of starting a charity that will focus on solving many of the world’s most “intractable problems,” according to Philanthropy Today.

The crisis of animals in the world qualifies is an intractable problem---a problem that is demanding, unmanageable, difficult, burdensome, demanding, just to use a few defining adjectives.

There are all kinds of things you can do right in your neighborhood that can make a difference.

Perhaps starting an organization is your cup of tea. Dogs Deserve Better is a good example of an organization that was created to solve a problem.  Founder, animal advocate and activist Tamira Ci Thayne, saw an intractable problem and applied a solution. Everyday she saw a forlorn dog tied to a chain. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and she set the dog free, setting into motion a set of circumstances that culminated with the creation of Dogs Deserve Better (DDB) in 2002.  DDB is devoted to helping dogs live unshackled lives, the way highly social, pack creatures should live.  As a highly social, pack creature yourself, you should get that.  DDB has grown and now has area reps across the country who have joined Thayne in her dream to eliminate the chaining of dogs.

Ten years ago, Betsy and Jared Saul turned their dream---and New Year’s resolution---of helping homeless companion animals into Petfinder.com. Betsy originally wrote all of the profiles herself and now 9,000 shelter and rescue groups post information to help find homes for every kind of animal imaginable.

One of the best animal orgnizations on earth, Best Friends Animal Society, started when a real group of friends coalesced to form what is now the largest animal sanctuary in the world.

Establishing your own nonprofit organization is not easy, and can present an enormous set of unique business challenges, in the best of economies. Take heart. Nobody loves a charity like Philanthropy Today, and they are offering a free online discussion to help people with dreams of starting a charity tease out the problems.  Philanthropy Today says that people often ask the following questions: How do you set up a charity? What are the toughest obstacles? And how are these new charities and the people who establish them changing the philanthropic landscape?

You are invited to join Philanthropy Today on August 25 to hear from a Connie Duckworth who left Wall Street to start a charity to help impoverished women in Afghanistan's. Author Lisa Endlich, who wrote Be The Change, will give the benefit of her stories of 11 people who established charities to “alleviate social ills.”

I look forward to writing about your successful animal charity here.  It only takes one.  Maybe it's you.  While you're hatching your dream, consider supporting the fulfilled dreams of others.  Pay it forward.