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How To: Volunteer at a Local Animal Shelter
Animals need help everywhere. Get involved with a local shelter to improve conditions for animals. Plus, you'll be surrounded by dogs, and who doesn't like that?
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- Find a shelter near you. Start by searching Petfinder (or Pets911), enter you zip code to find where there are homeless pets near you. You will be able to see where local shelters are by seeing where there are pets that are up for adoption. Get the phone number of the shelter and find out who works there.
- Contact ‘em. Call the shelter or drop by, and ask to speak to the volunteer coordinator. Introduce yourself – give your name, age, and say that you live in the area (but don’t give your full address). Ask if they could use a volunteer or if there are other ways to help the shelter. Find out how the shelter works by asking more questions – it will help you figure out better ways to help.
- What if they say you’re too young. Okay, so you called your local shelter and they didn’t have something for you to do. This is not true! Shelters can always use help, you just have to give them the idea...
Here is a list of just some other things you can do for the shelter if they don’t want you handling animals:- Clean cages, the backyard, or even the shelter's office
- Make phone calls or do other general office work
- Make holiday decorations for the shelter office and waiting room
- Good with web sites? Create a Facebook or other site page for the shelter and help advertise it
- Take pictures of new pets and learn how to put them up for adoption on Petfinder, Pets911, or even advertise them around your neighborhood or school
- Become a foster home for animals the shelter doesn’t have room for (Warning: this one definitely requires talking to the parents :O)
What if you can't get to the shelter?
The next step is coming up with ways to fundraise materials the shelter needs (ask them first) or money for operating the shelter. Check out Do Something’s ideas for fundraising.
Also, check out Do Something’s list of ways to help your local shelter.
Take Action
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Comments
where is a local animal shelter near
essex maryland???
I already volunteer at my animal shelter and it makes a huge impact!
i have volunteered in my local veterinarian office for 2 years !!!
lets help animals
I'm going to start volunteering at my animal shelter(:
Can't wait to start helping!=]
I started volunteering at my local cat shelter and its honestly changed my life. i feel accomplished and like i'm actually making a difference. i'm so passionate about it (even if i'm stuck doing the dirty work) but i would suggest this to anyone who loves animals!
Thats wonderful. I would love to experience something like that.
I volunteer once a week at my local shelter either with my social worker or my family. I am limited in what I'm able to do because of my age but I still help where I'm allowed.
what do you do there
I started volunteering for an animal rescue group here in NJ (Purrs N Pups) and it has changed me. I have learned so much from it. It is an amzing experance an I reccomend any animal lover to get involed with a rescue/shelter. It has a lot to offer. I also foster for the group. It is an AMZING experance. The rescue pulls dogs and cats kittens and puppies even nusing moms and pregnate moms from kill shelters. We keep them until they are adopted. It's a great way to get the family involved
im thinking bout doing this...except at the humane society....im gonna get a couple friends 2 go with me...so im not alone
I'm excited that this is up, I've been volunteering at the humane society in my area for a month or so! I lveo playing and walking with the dogs; and just chilling with the cats. I already adopted three! Challenging my mom for more.
I've been volunteering at the local animal shelter for about three months and i absolutely love it! I don't even care that I have to clean up poop and what not. It's so much fun and I plan on doing it forever! I tried to get other teens in my town to help but no one would do it with me because they don't like me but whatever. I'm doing it all by myself and I'm having a great time. It's their loss.
Superb website you have here. I found your website perfect for my needs. It contains wonderful and helpful post but I was curious if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics talked about in this article? I'd really love to be a part of online community where I can get opinions from other experienced people that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thank you!
I work at a no kill shelter and I LOVE IT! Its just for cats but Ah-mazing. I brush them, their scratching posts, feed them, clean around their room, and play with them. I get all of that in, in 1 hour! I have a blast.
I love animals so much just being around them and knowing I made a difference is so awesome but I'm only 14 so I don't know if I will be able to.
Ive been volunteering for about 2 years now. I love it! I get to walk the dogs around the park and clean their bowls. I love animals! Volunteer at an animal shelter. It can make a difference
I got to volunteer at the animal shelter with a school group and we cleaned animal cages, picked up litter, cleaned the outside of the building, cleaned food bowls, and loved on the animals. I absolutely loved it and was so sad to leave but i will be going back soon. It felt really good doing something for them after i thought i couldn't do much to help the poor animals. :D
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