Volunteerism at Your Local Animal Shelter

There is nothing better than feeling the soft fur at the tips of your fingers. If you kneel down to their level, you might get a kiss. They are our most loyal friends. They listen without interrupting, they don’t tell secrets, they love unconditionally, and how do we treat them? Some people take responsibility of the situation and find their friend a nice, new home; when that’s not possible people take their friend to a shelter. There are two types of shelters: Kill and No Kill. If you drop your friend off at a No Kill Shelter, he/she has a chance to be with another family. If you take him/her to a Kill Shelter, there is a good chance your friend may be euthanized.

There are many excuses for this lack of commitment. None of them matter. What you can do is get out there and help! Go to your local shelter and walk the dogs. Say hello to the cats and rabbits. Get down to their level and talk to them. They didn’t ask to be born. They need love just like people. There are several things you can do to help at your local shelter.

Volunteer your time. Cleaning cages, changing litter boxes and providing social interaction for the small animals adds value to their lives and to your own as well. Although these small animals are not able to go outside and walk with you, you can add meaning to their lives by helping with their care. You can also help by talking to them. I am not advocating for everyone to take an animal home. Not everyone has that level of commitment to give to an animal. I think it would be wonderful if these animals all had good homes, but that’s not reality. Simply spending the time at the shelter makes them feel valued. Some shelters allow you to hold the smaller animals.

Volunteer your energy. Shelters have large dogs, small dogs, young dogs and old dogs. Shelters house dogs of all breeds. Talking to these furry friends boosts their quality of life. Taking them out for walks or running is what really makes their day. You can also help dogs by combing them, clipping their nails or evening trimming their coat. Most importantly, spending time with their “pack” (people) is what these animals desire.

No animal deserves to live in a shelter. Sometimes the situation is unavoidable. If everyone gave fifteen minutes a week, there would be no lonely and sad animals at the shelter. The transition into a new home would be easier. Give your time and make a difference!