As difficult as finding funding for an animal rescue can be, trying to find a volunteer for animal shelters who have experience working with the type of animals you rescue, are reliable, and who are willing to donate more than one or two hours of time each month can be even more difficult.
Cooperative Extension
Your county’s Cooperative Extension program deals with the local teens and adults who are involved with 4-H. These are people who love animals, have lots of enthusiasm, and are always looking for volunteering experience. Not only will the Cooperative Extension service help connect you to experienced volunteers, but if you can somehow align your program with 4-H, they will become your biggest supporters.
The Veterinarian’s Office
As the director of an animal rescue, you already work closely with your local vet. Don’t be afraid to ask them if they know anyone who likes to volunteer for animal shelters. Even if they can’t give you a name at that moment, if they encounter anyone who is interested in animal shelters, they’ll pass your phone number on.
Post a Memo on a Local College Message Board
Students who are in college are often looking for ways that they can pad their resumes. Working as a volunteer at animals shelters is a great way to do this. Post an ad on a message board and you should get several calls from young people want to know what they can do to help.
You Need to Be Involved
When you volunteer with organizations like therapeutic riding groups or pet adoption groups you will connect with people who will be exactly the kind of volunteer you’ve been looking for. The more involved you are, the more people you connect with!
If someone is reliable and they are willing to learn, it’s worth your while to spend some time teaching them how to properly interact with the animals. There’s a good chance that with just a little effort on your part, they will gain the experience they need and become your star volunteer. They might even become good enough that you can trust them to work with the next up and coming volunteer for animal shelters who needs more experience!