Do you have a love for animals and their safety? Then you should consider taking up volunteer jobs to help and protect these animals and search for animal shelter volunteer opportunities.
There are several ways to get involved in this movement to protect animals, each would have different requirements, responsibilities, and levels of commitment, and volunteers are trained and guided on what to do and how to go about it.
Volunteering is simply a job someone or a group of persons take up voluntarily l, offering their time and energy for a particular service. In most cases, as stated earlier, volunteers are trained in their areas of work.
If you desire to meet new people, get involved in charity work or want to have skills that will help you advance in your career, then volunteering is it for you. Volunteering gives you an opportunity to be of great positive influence in the lives of people around you. Find out the animal shelter volunteer opportunities that are right for you.
Is Volunteering at an Animal Shelter Worth it?
Creatures instead of roaming the streets go to animal shelters to seek refuge and warmth. These animals were either maltreated by their owners/caregivers or injured from somewhere unsafe. When these animals leave the areas where they were treated badly, they depend on animal shelters for safety. Farm animals, dogs, cats, and some wildlife depend on these animal shelters to adopt and take care of them.
If you decide to volunteer and help give these creatures a good chance at living, know that work at the animal shelters has different levels. It is important to get to know the location of the animal shelter you decide to work to volunteer.
So if you love animals and want the best for them, volunteering at an animal shelter is definitely worth it. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know these animals better, get close to them, and equally, meet new people and learn how to get along with them.
The Personal, Career, and Social Benefits of Volunteering
1. Volunteering gives you the beautiful feeling of purpose found when volunteering and being part of something fulfilling. For retired, grieving, or unemployed citizens, being part of something like volunteering can help bring new meaning to life.
2. Volunteering gives one the opportunity to feel connected to the person or persons receiving help. It will also help one to meet new people from different backgrounds, and make bonds with existing family and friends stronger if you all are volunteering together.
3. Volunteering helps you improve your social skills. You get to associate and communicate with new people. This will help you professionally and in business, because you’ve spent time with people while working together with them and making use of your relationship management skills, social and listening skills.
4. Volunteering would boost your self-confidence and esteem. You feel accomplished when you do something commendable and get applauded by your colleagues in the work, and this would affect other areas of your life positively.
5. Volunteering could give you an opportunity to meet valuable people who may help you in your line of work or give you better job opportunities. You could also, through volunteering, learn new skills and experience and get better at the skills you already have. This could also boost your resume.
6. Volunteering can be fun and this can make life a happier one for the volunteer. When you volunteer in your line of hobby, it makes you more creative, and feeling good reduces the effect of stress, anxiety, anger, and the cares of life.
As an animal shelter volunteer, you give a positive impact by giving stray and badly-treated animals love and care and being a source of comfort and warmth to them.
Steps to Becoming a Volunteer With Animal Shelters
If you are determined and have decided to love and care for these unfortunate creatures, then you’ve made a beautiful decision. After you’ve decided on the animal shelter program which works fine with you and the requirements you have and can meet, now check out the first three steps to take.
# Check out the requirements and see if you match them. You’ll need to fulfill their requirements.
# Get to know the location of the project so you know if it is a location you would love to work in.
# Contact the organization and verify if what you are looking out for and your time are in line.
Now, when you are done with the above steps and are fine with your findings, take the following, necessary actions:
1. Get Vaccinated
Once you’ve found the animal shelter volunteer opportunities/opportunity you love, know that you will be in touch with animals and vaccinations are important. It is necessary you get the needed vaccinations before you leave for your volunteer location. Vaccinations like a rabies vaccine are a must, ask a doctor what vaccinations would be appropriate for the location you’re heading to.
2. Get Travel and Health Insurance
For many programs abroad, travel and health insurance are needed. Contact the program contact person and inquire if there are insurances like this made available for volunteers.
3. Make Visa, Passport, and Documents Ready
Now you know where you are heading, do this:
– Check the visa requirements of your destination
– With the visa requirements in mind, ensure you have a valid passport required.
– Make ready the required documents for your visa
Also, know that visa issues may crop up in some countries, so take this into consideration when choosing a location for your animal shelter volunteer opportunities.
The List of Animal Shelter Volunteer Opportunities
Below are animal shelter volunteer opportunities you may want to check out:
1. Horseback Riding Assistant
Agency: Rancho Santana.
Location: Chiclayo Peru.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 1-12 weeks.
Average fees: $183/week.
For more details check here.
2. Support Dog Shelter
Agency: Jamso Trainee.
Location: Chanla Greece.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 2-12 weeks.
Average fees: $348/week.
For more details check here
3. Natural Horsemanship and Framework on Eco Lodge
Agency: Aventura Doma Natural.
Location: Tucurrique, Costa Rica.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, groups.
Minimum stay: 4 weeks.
Duration: 2-24 weeks.
Payment: 499€ per week.
Average fees: $477/week.
For more details check here
4. Domestic Animals Rescue & Rehabilitation
Agency: Stay Afric Volunteers.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, groups.
Duration: 1-24 weeks.
Average fees: $235/
For more details check here
5. Support a Cat
Agency: Jamso Trainee.
Location: Uvita, Costa Rica.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, groups.
Duration: 3-24 weeks.
Average fees: $313/week.
For more details check here
6. Animal Welfare Helper
Agency: Instituto, Hemingway.
Location: Bilbo, Spain.
Age: 14+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, groups, wheelchairs.
Duration: 2-50 weeks.
Average fees: $425/week.
Check here for more details.
7. Animal Carer
Agency: Corfu Donkey Rescue.
Location: Doukades, Greece.
Age: 20+
Suitable for: Singles and Couples.
Duration: 2-50 weeks.
Check here for more details.
8. Huskies Caretaker & Dog Sled Assistant
Agency: Fronteering Travel.
Location: Salmo, Canada.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, and, groups.
Duration: 4-12 weeks.
Average fees: $278/week.
Check here for more details.
9. Dog and Cat Shelter Assistant
Agency: STEP Africa.
Location: Arusha, Tanzania.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, and, groups.
Duration: 4-26 weeks.
Average fees: $137/week.
Check here for more details.
10. Dog Shelter Helper and Supporter
Agency: Jamso Trainee.
Location: Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, and groups.
Duration: 2-24 weeks.
Average fees: $241/week.
Check here for more details.
11. Animal Care Helper
Agency: ImpacTrip.
Location: Split, Croatia.
Age: 16+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, and, groups.
Duration: 1-12 weeks.
Average fees: $715/week.
Check here for more details.
12. Support Greek Dog Shelter
Agency: Jamso Trainee.
Location: Gouves, Greece.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 2-12 weeks.
Average fees: $258/week.
Check here for more details.
13. Horseback Riding Assistant
Agency: Rancho Santana.
Location: Chiclayo, Peru.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 1-12 weeks.
Average fees: $183/week.
Check here for more details.
14. Dog Sanctuary Supporter
Agency: Hopeland dog Sanctuary.
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 3-40 weeks.
Average fees: $791/week.
Check here for more details.
15. Most Affordable Veterinary Medicine Internship
Agency: Our Generation Voluntary Organization.
Location: Kumasi, Ghana.
Age: 16+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, and, groups.
Duration: 2-24 weeks.
Average fees: $200/week.
Check here for more details.
16. Thai Life Rehabilitation & Care
Agency: Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers.
Location: Bangkok, Thailand.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, and, groups.
Duration: 1-12 weeks.
Average fees: $523/week.
Check here for more details.
17. Animal Rescue and Farm Maintenance
Agency: Fundacion Aldeas de Paz.
Location: Santa Barbara Desamana, Dominican Republic.
Age: 16+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, families, and, groups.
Duration: 5-20 weeks.
Average fees: $425/week.
Check here for more details.
18. Scottish Huskey Ranch Caretaker
Agency: Fronteering Travel.
Location: Blairgowrie, United Kingdom.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles and couples.
Duration: 4-12 weeks.
Average fees: $395/week.
Check here for more details.
19. Kitten Rescue & Rehoming Supporter
Agency: Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers.
Location: Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Age: 18+
Suitable for: Singles, couples, and, groups.
Duration: 2-6 weeks.
Average fees: $337/week.
Check here for more details.
20. Stray Dog Rehabilitation Assistant
Agency: Involvement Volunteers IVI.
Location: Katmandu, Nepal.
Age: 18+
Suitable: Singles, couples, families, and, groups.
Duration: 1-12 weeks.
Average fees: $441/week.
Check here for more details.
What do Animal Shelters Need the Most?
Animal shelters need:
1. Cat litter.
2. Animals’ food and feed.
3. Food bowls for the animals.
4. Collapsible wire crates.
5. Chlorine bleach for disinfection and cleaning.
6. Office supplies like pens, pencils, paper, pins, sticky notes, paper clips, et cetera.
7. Monetary donations.
8. Volunteers.
How Old Does One Have to Be to Volunteer?
To volunteer, an interested person should be 14 and above. If a willing volunteer is 14 this should only be if he/she is volunteering with family.
How to Help a Local Animal Shelter?
An animal shelter needs a lot to keep running. Most times they have little resources and no one knows about their existence, making them suffer. Below are ways you can assist animal shelters if you know one:
1. Make donations.
2. Volunteer.
3. Adopt a pet from them.
4. Encourage them with beautiful words and publicity.
5. Help in decorations and landscape design to make the shelter more aesthetically pleasing.
6. Help with shelter supplies.
7. Take good care of your own pets at home.
We Also Recommend
References
- Www.volunteerworld.com – Animal Shelter Volunteer
- En.m.wikipedia.org – Volunteering
- Www.indeed.com – Benefits of Volunteering: 10 Reasons To Volunteer
- Www.wcsu.edu – Benefits of Community Service
- Www.ccspca.com – Top 10 Things Animal Shelters Use the Most
- Www.humanesociety.org – How to Help Animals in Shelters and Rescues