Happy New Year!
Did you make a resolution to volunteer more this year but don’t know where to start? You may be surprised at all of the opportunities available to help your local rescues and shelters.
Foster. If you have the space in your house for a dog or cat but don’t necessarily have the funds or the desire for another full-time family member, fostering could be for you. Fostering provides a temporary home while the shelter or rescue searches for a forever family. Rescues generally require a foster home in order to pull an animal from a shelter, and they pay for things like food and vet care. Most rescues are desperate for fosters, so contact yours today to see if you can help. Maybe you’ll foster one of the lucky dogs or cats who will find a family at My Furry Valentine this year!
Transport. How do dogs and cats get from the shelter to a rescue? People like you! Sign up for a freedom ride and start a dog or cat on his journey to a forever home. Screen applications. Almost any adoption starts with an application. Volunteers are needed to look over these applications, call vet and personal references, or just check to make sure an applicant meets an organization’s adoption requirements. Even better, all of these can be done from your own home.
Walk dogs. If your resolutions involve volunteering AND being more active, check with your local shelter about giving dogs their exercise. Walking shelter dogs helps stabilize energy levels and reduce kennel stress, which means you can help them put their best paw forward when meeting potential adopters.
Play with cats. Similar to walking dogs, many shelters are looking for volunteers to sit in their cat rooms and play with or groom cats. Can you imagine a better way to spend a day?
Take pictures. Are you an amateur photographer? Most shelters don’t have time to get more than a basic intake shot. If you can capture a crisp picture for the shelter to share on social media or Petfinder, one that shows the dog or cat’s true beauty and personality, you can greatly increase the chances of adoption.
Help at My Furry Valentine. Looking to get involved in the world of rescue but don’t know where to start? Volunteer at this year’s My Furry Valentine! We need help in a wide variety of areas, and being a part of the event can help you meet shelters and rescues in need. For more information, click here:
https://www.myfurryvalentine.com/volunteers/
Of course, these are just a few of the many opportunities available to you. Contact your local shelter or rescue to find additional areas of need; they can almost certainly use all the help they can get. Need help finding an organization in need?
Click here: https://www.myfurryvalentine.com/animal-groups/
