There is little doubt that volunteering at an animal shelter can be emotional. It is difficult to see critters that have been abandoned, or born into the world because the owner of the mother dog or cat didn’t have it spayed. Even more difficult is seeing animals that have been either neglected or, worse, abused.
But, through volunteers these pets have a second chance and volunteering can be rewarding. Unfortunately, most shelters have limited personnel and funding. That is where volunteers come in. Even if you only have a limited amount of time, you can make a difference.
Helping in the Shelter
If your passion is for the critters themselves, you can learn to help assess which are most adoptable. Spend time with the dogs and cats in the shelter and see how they react in different situations such as with other dogs and cats and, different people. See whether they have had any training such as sitting on command. This helps for the critter’s adoptable record and to promote him or her to the right situation. Looking into the animals’ eyes and offering a friendly head or belly rub is when volunteering at an animal shelter can be most rewarding.
Help get animals adopted by promoting these critters’ good points when people come in looking for a new family member. You can also volunteer to help with offsite adoptions, taking shelter animals to popular pet supply stores or local community events usually on weekends.
Help in the Office, With Event Planning and Fundraising
For those who are a little computer savvy, you can volunteer to list animal information on adoption websites such as Petfinder. You could also work on the local shelter’s website as well.
If you have good organizational skills, you may help to run the shelter office. These skills can also help with planning events to help with community awareness for the shelter, and with helping orient the public toward proper care of pets and the need for spay and neutering. You could also help with fundraisers for nonprofit shelters.
Just an hour a week, or a few hours one day per month can make a big difference for one or several dogs and cats. Shelter animals are hungry for proper care, love and a forever home. By volunteering at an animal shelter you may help them find their perfect family.