Volunteering at an Animal Shelter. [Meet Posh AKA Cinnamon Buns!]
Cuddling with the pups after a morning of poop-scooping is the best reward.
My experience at an animal shelter.
For the last month or so, Hayley and I have donated our Sunday mornings to help care for a group of rescue dogs at a local animal shelter. At present, there are three adults and four pups in the shelter that depend on the care of volunteers. This is something that both Hayley and I have wanted to do for a while and it's lovely to be able to give our time to a worthwhile cause.
What's involved?
After looking through some local animal rescue Facebook groups, we arbitrarily decided upon one. As it turned out, we had to sign up for an introductory information session where we learned how the shelter operates and some of the other roles that are performed at the facility including dog walkers and foster carers. After our info session, we agreed to do a buddy shift with some experienced volunteers where we would see how a shift would run in real-time.
The first shift was full of poop and wee-wee mop up duty as well as so many puppy cuddles. In this line of work, you've got to take the good with the bad. The role is fairly straightforward in nature: clean the stalls, provide fresh food and water and medication and ensure the dogs are provided with the most enriched lives as possible until they're matched to a "forever home".
Providing an enriching experience.
It's insane to think I've grown up with dogs for most of my life and never heard of "enrichment" for dogs. Dogs are pretty smart creatures and as a result, experience many of the same emotions as humans do - including boredom. Providing sources of mental enrichment including the use of specialised toys that require the dog spin them, nudge them and bump them around in order to "earn" rewards provides the same kind of spike in dopamine release as we might when we get the mushroom playing Mario or getting a pair of kings in a hand of Texas hold 'em.
However, not all enrichment need be an expensive "Kong" tumbler. If you have a dog and want to try out some enrichment with them, I'd suggest keeping your cardboard rolls. Toilet paper rolls can be crimped at one end, simply by folding then stuffed with doggy treats and crimped again at the other end requiring your dog to chew and pull apart the device in order to secure the food.
Another option is to use an old muffin tray and some tennis balls.
Add treats randomly to the muffin pan holes and place the tennis balls over the top of them. Your pup will sniff out the morsels and have to nudge the balls off to get their tasty treat!
Should we be advertising the existence of animal shelters?
The fact that animal shelters exist provides a "get out of jail free card" for irresponsible people.
Dogs are too often bought from breeders and pet shops and surrendered to shelters when their circumstances change or they just couldn't be bothered caring for the animal or paying for necessary veterinary bills. I suppose it is a little like people's unwillingness to reduce their waste. It requires effort and you'll likely always have a bin to chuck your refuse into when recycling or waste reduction gets too hard. It takes serious consideration and lifestyle change to both accommodate an animal into your family and drastically reduce consumption.
However, the fact remains that without animal shelters, neglected animals would be either living as strays to eventually be caught by rangers and euthanised at local pounds.
Freddy's (sad) return
One dog in our care by the name of Freddy is an old boy. Apparently, he was in care for some time, fostered out permanently by one of the volunteers, then, after a period, this volunteer relinquished all shifts and returned Freddy soon thereafter.
Without the option of a shelter, would his carer have given him up? We will never know, but it's interesting to speculate for a moment. I'd assume that most people would go to all sorts of lengths such as contacting all family members, friends and animal-friendly Facebook groups to seek a new home for him before doing the unthinkable - releasing him onto the streets to fend for himself. I certainly wonder if these options were considered.
A final word.
Donating your time to any worthy cause will move you in a way you may not have expected.
In this instance, my work with these animals has not only made me realise their vulnerability, but of the power of many people doing a little bit to ensure these animals live in an environment where they are fed, watered, medicated, kept warm and most importantly, loved.
If you have considered welcoming an animal-friend into your home as a new family member, I would first ask you to look to animal shelters. Foster an animal for a period to give you time to assess whether this long term commitment is for you.
It's a huge undertaking and one that should not be taken lightly. After all, it's the life and wellbeing of the animal at stake.
All the best,
Nick.
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Aww, that would be good for your soul! I volunteered in an animal rescue center in the Amazon jungle a few years ago. We spent most of the time picking up shit as well. But the animals were beautiful. Well, except some of the monkeys that wanted to attack everyone...
The Amazon would have been an incredible experience! What was the most interesting animal you worked with? .. but of course heartbreaking to know why these animals need saving... deforestation on an unimaginable scale.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, AM.
Nick.
I liked the birds. You could go in the cages with them and they would come and land you and were curious about what you were doing. Some animals are there for life (if they'd been rescued and were caged their whole lives) but their goal is to set as many free as possible once they are rehabilitated. You aren't allowed to touch these animals so they don't get used to humans.
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