Have you wondered about how to give back to animals in your local community? Here are some ways to do that by volunteering at your local animal shelter.
Shelter Attendant
Animal shelters are always in need of volunteers, and being a shelter attendant is a great way to help local strays in your community.
When you’re a shelter attendant, you may be asked to do a number of jobs. One of them maybe to clean and disinfect kennels or get the dogs and cats fed.
One of our favorite shelter attendant jobs is dog walking. Why? Because you get to play with dogs, of course!
If you’re lucky, there will be a couple of fenced-in dog parks adjacent to the shelter. If that’s the case, you’ll get to take one or two dogs out to play and get socialized.
A Grassroots Campaign
Shelter animals need help all the time but especially at the holidays. If you can get the word out by writing an article for your local newspaper about the possibility of fostering a dog or cat over the holidays, that would help not only the shelter workers but the pets as well.
Get your kids involved by doing a pet food drive at their school. Check with the principal first to see if there are any restrictions about fundraising on campus. Then, get some kids together and do either a bake sale to raise money to buy food or ask parents to drop off dog and cat food at the school.
The Front Desk
If your local shelter is big enough, they could always use some help at the front desk for visitors and people who are looking to adopt a pet. If you have some office skills and are good with a computer, that’s always a bonus.
Get on the Board
Shelters are usually governed by a board of directors. See if you can become part of that board, especially if you see a need for change.
Visiting
There are times when shelter animals have medical needs. Coming in to spend time with a dog are cat who isn’t feeling well will give them extra comfort. You can also volunteer to take them to the vet to free up time for those who work at the shelter.
Volunteering at your local shelter is a great way to give back to the animals of your community.
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
