I love animals – especially cats. According to this cat person quiz, I am “definitely a cat lover and meet most of the tests of responsibility”. But I haven’t yet “made a slave of myself over my cats.” (Whew!)
Whether you’re a cat or a dog lover, or even a ferret or bunny lover, you’d enjoy volunteering at your local animal shelter.
During the “Keep It Green” volunteer episodes, I volunteered with BARC (Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition), a no-kill animal shelter that has been based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for 21 years. I got the chance to hang out with the dogs and the cats for the day, which was really fun. And the staff was so impressive – you could tell that they truly loved animals, and they had created a warm and welcoming family atmosphere at the shelter for humans and animals.
View the video here, and read on for my thoughts on the experience:
Lovable pit bulls
There are a lot of pit bulls and pit mixes at BARC, and it was so touching to see how these often maligned dogs could overcome abusive backgrounds and learn to trust humans again. With the patient nurturing of BARC staff and volunteers, the dogs become sweet and loving. There was an especially beautiful pit bull named Katrina who was adorable – so cuddly and affectionate. And this was a dog who had been used in vicious dog fights by her previous owners.
Playtime is pet practice
We joined other volunteers in walking the dogs down to a local park near the water, and playing or relaxing with the pooches on the lawn. The volunteers have a great time hanging out with the dogs, and of course the animals are thrilled to be outdoors.
The cats love visitors too! There were so many beautiful adult cats and kittens waiting for the right home. Some were very playful and others just wanted to cuddle up on a lap. Volunteers help the kitties by playing with them, and petting and brushing them – this gives them much needed attention and helps socialize them.
Volunteers are key to socializing all of the animals – getting them comfortable with loving, trustworthy humans so that they can easily adjust to their new adoptive families.
Ways to help
It’s such a rewarding experience to volunteer at an animal shelter. You get to have fun with cats, dogs and other animals (when we filmed, BARC was taking care of bunnies and roosters!), give them the love and attention they need and get them ready for new families.
Here are some ways to find out how you can volunteer at your local shelter:
- Check the Yellow Pages under the headings “animal shelter,” “humane society,” and “animal control” (or Google those terms with your town or city name).
- Find local shelters and volunteering opportunities on Pets 911.
And of course shelters could always use financial donations or resources like towels, sheets, food and toys. For example, you can set up a monthly donation plan to the Humane Society or ask your local shelter for their “wish list” and see what you can provide.
