Shelter volunteers help with various tasks

#Middlebury #AnimalShelters

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I really want a pet, but our apartment doesn’t allow them. My mom told me that I could volunteer at a local animal shelter instead. What kind of work would I do as a volunteer? – Amy in Bridgewater, Massachusetts

DEAR AMY: There is always a variety of jobs for volunteers to do at animal shelters. These are usually assigned by the shelter manager or supervisor and are based on the tasks that need to be done and the age and ability of the volunteers.

Now, keep in mind that not all volunteers get to work directly with animals in the shelter. That’s especially true if they’re brand new or if they’re younger than 17. Instead, they may be assigned to handle tasks like cleaning, sorting through donated items or other jobs that don’t have direct contact with the animals.

If you are assigned to work with animals, you may be socializing kittens, walking dogs outside, or feeding the animals in their cages or kennels – the list of needed tasks is long and never ends. That’s why most animal shelters require you to commit to a set number of hours per week or month. This isn’t a huge amount of time – maybe two hours a week – but they’ll rely on you to be there when you say you will.

Look up nearby shelters online and contact them about volunteer opportunities. Many have web pages with instructions on how to volunteer, which will help you decide how you’d like to help.

Shelters also take donations of blankets, toys, pet food and cash, so if you aren’t able to volunteer directly, consider a fundraising or toy collection drive instead.

Send your comments, tips or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.

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