How can you be a great animal shelter volunteer? Follow these five steps and you will become one.
1) You must be dedicated to the health and welfare of the animals you take care of in the shelter by giving them your love and kindness, showing them you care by taking care of them when they are sick and feeling left out, being their friend when they have lost their friend.
2) Make sure that they are fed and watered as per the instruction for the animal. If an animal requires a special diet make sure that they only get the food that is recommended for that animal.
3) Take the time to play and walk with the animals. Some animals require more vigorous work outs to keep them happy, others only require some petting and attention. Take the time to know the animals you work with.
4) Once you know the animals read what other volunteers have said about the animals in their write-ups. Keep track of what you notice about the animals and add your own information about each and every one. Some of the items you can keep track of are:
- How well they respond to voice command while playing
- How well they walk around people and other animals
- How well they play with other animals
- Weather or not they adapt to having animals of other species around them (cat and dogs)
- Weather or not they are approachable by other people
5) You must always be there at your appointed time because the animals depend upon you to be there. An exceptional volunteer will also make time in their holidays to make sure that the animals are well taken care of.
So if you are thinking of becoming an animal shelter volunteer then the five items above will give you a clear idea of what is needed. This is really what any animal needs weather or not it is at a shelter, in the home, or a stray. They all need love and attention.