In our modern world, time is an essential resource, thus individuals often try to explore avenues that will, in the long run, make a difference in their circles and which will give meaning to life other than the daily tasks routine. One of the most effective and fulfilling activities in this regard is volunteering in an animal shelter. The shelters are designed to create a home for the animals that have been abandoned, abused or even left to stray and in need of love and attention and most of them depend on people to help out. Committing your time and energy has its rewards in the sense that you help these animals and at the same time learn essential teachings and skills in the process.
Table Of Content
If you’re an animal lover and would like to participate, here’s everything you need to know regarding animal shelter volunteering, the skills that you shall gain, as well as how to enjoy this experience to the fullest.
The Role of an Animal Shelter Volunteer
Animal shelters serve as a foster care for animal until it is adopted. These animals can be in any lot of circumstances – some migh have been detlashed by their previous owners while some are just saying ‘no’ to unhealthy situations. The very basic purpose of the animal shelter is to provide shelter for such animals until they are placed ina new home.
As a volunteer, the roles you are assigned to will depend on the needs of the shelter and your experience. Volunteering in an animal shelter usually involves the following duties:
- Prepping animal feeds, giving water to animals
- Washing of the cages or the living areas
- Taking dogs out for a walk and exercising them
- Interacting with the animals; for instance, playing with them and soothing them
- Helping out during adoption events
- Completing some office work for the shelter such as filing and database management
Regardless of the position, all the chores are important in guaranteeing the comfort of the animals and in the effective administration of the shelter. By becoming an animal shelter volunteer most importantly helps the shelter since most of them lack resources and staffed persons.
Why Volunteering at an Animal Shelter Matters
1. Helping an Important Mission
countless animal rescues function on tight funds and do not have anything but the good hearts and hands of the people who run them and who help them work. It would be impossible for most of the shelters to attend to animals within their facilities where there are no volunteers whatsoever. This is why volunteering is important because you play an active role in furthering the shelter’s objective of saving, treating, and finding new homes for stray animals.
2. Helping the Helpless
By becoming a volunteer at an animal shelter, you engage yourself in the actual convalescing and care of the creatures within your realm. Resting, feeding, cleaning, or just sitting with someone is considered a very helpful thing to do for most of these former abuse victims. Some of the time your attention and love for a particular abandoned animal may be the determining factor as to why they get adopted. The bonds formed with these creatures are incredibly enriching for one’s self and even more so for that creature.
3. Advocating for Animal Rights
Working as an animal / pet shelter volunteer lets you help take care of the pets but develops also into an animal rights education program. Among other things, as a volunteer, you can teach about the need and importance of cutting pets, discourage cruelty among people, and explain to people the value of adopting rather than getting the animals from pet shops and breeders.
Personal Benefits of Being an Animal Shelter Volunteer
1. Psychological Gratification
The sense of fulfilment that comes with volunteering at the animal shelter is easily the biggest motivation for many people. Most of the animals found in the shelters have gone through trauma and they require solace, love and time above everything else. To be able to warm up to such animals is quite touching and the icing on the cake comes when they get adopted. In addition, the simple notion of pets’ unconditional love is a great stress reliever which one can indulge in after a long tiresome day.
2. Improvement of Primary Competences
Some of the most significant experience attributed in pet shelter volunteering is the positive impact of such on the shelter volunteer in developing important life skills:
Sensitivity: Protection of dependent animals creates a concern of their wellbeing. You will become aware of the people – and animals – around you, how vital it is to be nice to everyone every day.
Self-organization: Animal shelters have schedules for feeding, cleaning or even providing treatment to the animals. You will have no choice but to learn how to allocate time for various activities to accomplish them within the given period as a volunteer.
Cooperation and Interpersonal Skills: You will work with shelter staff and other volunteers thus enhancing your ability to communicate and work in a group.
Creativity: Every animal is unique, which means that there will be behavioral problems that will require innovative resolutions. It is necessary for one to possess creativity as an ability when animals have different needs.
3. Getting Connected with People
When you volunteer in an animal shelter, you have a chance of meeting people who hold similar views on animal welfare as you do. Such connections can help form bonds of friendship, business relationships, or aid in the next animal project’s undertakings.
4. Benefits related to Physical and Mental aspects
Research has shown that there are many health benefits associated with interaction with various animals. Keeping in relief oneself as a volunteer at an animal shelter may help improve one’s health due to low levels of stress, anxiety or depression. This includes the provision of care and the engagement with animals which aids in the release of happiness-inducing hormones, thereby relaxing the individual. Moreover, other forms of physically strenuous activities such as the sanitation of the kennels and walking of dogs are good ways of exercise too.
How to Get Started as an Animal Shelter Volunteer
In case you have ardently decided to become an animal shelter volunteer, this write up will guide you on all the possible means you can join them:
- Search for Local Shelters: Firstly, look into animal centers or shelters that are in your locality. Quite a number of shelters have volunteering opportunities for people, and almost all of them will embrace new volunteers with both hands. Most of the details can be retrieved from their online platforms or call the shelters directly for inquiries regarding the vacancies.
- Volunteer Information Session: The duration of orientation varies with different animal shelters. This is the sitting where all the rules, protocols and expectations of the shelter are laid out to the potential volunteers. In this session, you will also be reminded about the details of the volunteer work you will be doing.
- Keep a Consistent Week or Day Schedule: After finishing the orientation, the next thing would be to come up with a timetable as per the volunteer’s availability and also that of the shelter. You may offer to work for a couple of hours a week or any other period tolerable to you, little help goes a long way.
- Provide Temporary Housing for An Animal: You can volunteer to be a ‘day parent’ for a short duration for an animal if you are not in a position to do any regular work. This is caring for an animal in your house for some time until they are ready to be placed up for adoption. This can especially rewarding if you have the space and time to do so.
- Help Spread The Word About The Shelter’s Events: You do not have to be physically present at the shelter each day to mainly assist with the cleaning or taking care of animals as you can participate in helping out by advertising social media for the shelter’s other events or fundraisers. This form of communication is also important as it helps to raise donations and encourage adopters who are essential for the running of the shelter.
Volunteering Beyond the Shelter
Apart from the hands-on work with pets, you can assist the animal shelters in the following ways:
- Adoption Events: Most shelters conduct these events in collaboration with local pet shops or halls. Such events are helpful in finding homes for the animals since many people willing to adopt are present and hence the information about the animals can be shared.
- Fundraising: Most of the times the shelters function on the blood donations of the members. Hence, the organizing or taking part in such events helps raise money for the shelter and many of its other projects.
- Community Outreach and Education: You can take part in other initiatives like helping the members of the community to understand why it is important to get a pet and look after them properly or how humane society operates and why it is beneficial to adopt animals from there. This may include giving talks in schools, writing up and distributing pamphlets, and assisting in managing websites.
One of the most fulfilling and meaningful contributions to one’s community is sign up and become a volunteer in an animal shelter. You get to help the animals in their time of need, and also learn new skills, improve oneself, and interact with like minded pet owners.
Volunteering at an animal shelter will ease the guilt if you are an animal lover or if you are just looking to spend your time doing something worthwhile, it is something that will impact your life in a great and positive way. Therefore, do not hesitate to do that jump- this experience as a volunteer in an animal shelter is just what you have been looking for!
No Comment! Be the first one.