Have you ever volunteered at a pet shelter?

Cidney

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#1
Just a few weeks ago I did a fund raiser for the local SPCA and have been giving some serious consideration to do some voluteer work AT the SPCA. I love animals with all my heart but not sure how well I will do emotionally when I see all those dogs and cats in the kennels. I know I will cry and want to take them all home. I am going to call them to see if they need dog walkers or something like that, I just dont want to see them in a cage. Have you ever volunteered? what did you do and was it emotionally hard?
 

Debi

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All I've ever been able to do is give donations. My emotions would get the best of me. I TRULY would want to save all.......and it would break my heart to pieces. BUT...we have a shelter that will not euthenize (sp??) IF they have enough money to keep things running. It is a HUGE expense. Even if you drop off dog food, they appreciate it. So, to all I urge.....even if money is tight.....take some food to your shelter. It helps.
 

KaraLou

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#3
I'd love to volunteer at an animal shelter, but both my emotions and allergies get the best of me :(

I worked at Petco for a few years when I all of sudden, became allergic to animals! I'm fine around my animals, mainly because I'm used to them, but other animals get my allergies all worked up :(
 

RD

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#4
I LOVE volunteering. I've been walking dogs for various animal shelters since I was about 10. :)
 

Cidney

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#5
Well, I decided to go for it. I went on line to register to be a volunteer and will have to wait until I get a confirmation in the mail that will include a scheule of orientation classes I will have to attend first. I am going to volunteer in the "Direct Animal Care" area which will have me walking dogs, cleaning kennels, assiting with the adoption area. I figure I can give it a try; sitting and being all concerned about my fragil heart is not doing those poor animals in need any good. My husband will probably kick me to the curb when I start bringing doggies home! I hope I can handle it but I have to at least try.
 
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Good for you. I really want to. But our shelter isnt what you call it. Its a pound where you pay 35$ no app. or nothin really. We have sweet people who take some of the dogs hoem and MAKE SURE that they get great homes. I dont knoe if you can foster at our pound or not. I would really like to foster a pittie family..With some young puppies. To help. I would kepp the mommie lol! Anyways i'm really happy you decided to join!
 
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#7
I used to volunteer and go in and help with projects whenever I could, but I knew I was going to end up bringing more home than I could possibly care for. Now, the thing I really like to do is pay the adoption fee ahead for an animal that doesn't necessarily have as good a chance of being adopted as one of the young, cute ones. I also pick up extra bags of treats when I buy my dog food. I can't save all the animals, but at least I can contribute a little to the quality of their lives, and hopefully, happy pups and cats will have a better shot at being adopted. We've also got a no-kill group here, Noah's Ark, that I support.
 

Kathy74

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We don't have a shelter in our town, but eventually I want to get into fostering and rescue. My husband is afraid I wouldn't adopt any dogs out though, and I'd end up keeping them all!!
 

pitbulliest

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#9
I've volunteered at an animal shelter. I used to think I would come out of there crying..surprisingly..I didn't..instead I would just come out of there really really ticked off...AT THE PEOPLE who left their animals there!!!

But it was great..I got alot of experience and enjoyed working with the animals. I was a dog training assistant during the week..and on the weekend I would be responsible for training a few "difficult" dogs..that may have had some aggression issues...with other animals..or they weren't too sure of children..things like that...it got really challenging sometimes...and on more than one occassion I was left to train a dog that everyone else in the shelter was scared of..but that's what made it great...that I trained it to the point where it was adoptable...learned its manners..didn't go all haywire and crazy when it was around people...so to me it was worth it...

except that one time I got bitten by a fox hound...tore my shirt and all..lol..I really don't know what happened to that dog..it was very young so I hope it got adopted out to a good home with experienced owners..

Anyways..sorry..that was a little off topic..if you don't feel too comfortable working with dogs per se, you can always work with cats..they had cat cuddling and socializing at the shelter where I volunteered..as well as bunny walkers...and small animal handling..stuff like that...
 

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