I went to the shelter in my town today, I had this idea that I could go a few hours a week to spend time with the dogs, walk and play with them, maybe do some basic training, take pictures and maintain a FB page and weekly newspaper spot with bios and photos of adoptable dogs.

I saw that they had a black GSD very young puppy, a 6 year old owner surrender, and another adult male GSD stray. I e-mailed the two GSD rescues in my area ( GSD Rescue of Northern CA and Greater CA German Shepherd Rescue) and hope they can take those dogs. But there were so many, Labs, Pugs, Min Pins, Bull dog mixes.,They looked so sad; hopeful that I was coming for them. Lots of Chihuahuas...... I don't know if I can go there every week, but I want to do something.

How do you guys do it?

I guess I don't get what you're asking. How do we do it emotionally? Or how are we involved?

Both!

I would like to help out at our local shelter and have even thought of applying there for a few of their job openings cuz I really neeeeed a new job. Unfortunately, I have asthma and cats are one of my biggest triggers so healthwise it would not be a good place for me to spend that kind of time. You can't confine the cat dander to the cat rooms/cage area - it floats in the air.

There are hundreds of ways to help at various levels with various skills even if you can't get right in there, hands-on on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. I do two volunteer websites, one for our local shelter and one for a GSD rescue. I offer shelters and rescues significant discounts and flexible payment plans on my website services and hosting. I've also fostered a couple of dogs.

I keep our www.rileysplace.org up as much as I can. This site of ours stresses things like responsible pet care, pet education, animal cruelty, dog behavior and other topics that hopefully will help keep at least some pets from being surrendered and cut down on things like cruelty, dog bites and whatever etc. These are ways in which we help.

I give tons of kudos to those who are able to physically help at their chosen faility but I also kudo those that are able to help in other ways. It's the varied joint efforts that help to make it work in the big picture.

That's great that you want to volunteer!

Does your local shelter have a volunteer program and a volunteer coordinator?
Here is an example of a shelter volunteer program from my area:
http://www.mspca.org/adoption/boston/volunteer-opportunities/
Depending on the shelter's staffing situation, oten a major need is simply cleaning. And an understanding of shelter hygiene.

And here is an example of a list of volunteer opportunities at a rescue:
http://www.gsrne.org/volunteer.htm

One important thing is to realize that while the skills developed with one's own dogs are helpful they do not prepare all the way for handling many shelter dogs. There is a lot more to learn when working with shelter dogs. It's a great opportunity for handlers with an open mind to both help the animals and expand their own skills.

Some online background resources on animal sheltering:
http://www.animalsheltering.org/
http://www.animalsheltering.org/programs_and_services/nasa_week/
And from the perspective of shelter staff:
http://www.animalsheltering.org/programs_and_services/volunteer_management/
About planning a shelter, it addresses some of the things that need to be done in an animal shelter incl. disinfection:
http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource...operations.html

Sue Sternberg's book 'Successful Dog Adoption' is written for the prospective adopter but is helpful to shelter volunteers for getting a sense of shelter dogs and the shelter environment.

Go for it!

How do I do it -
Emotionally - I cannot go to a shelter unless I have a very specific job and guidelines because it is too difficult for me otherwise. I give a lot of credit to people who can work and volunteer in shelters.

For fostering, I get very attached too, but know that my job is to find those dogs a better life and home. And will wait patiently until that happens.

For involvement I like to do a lot of things - I like fostering, but know that you can be a good volunteer in other ways without fostering. I do home checks. I do pictures. I do fundraising and try to network. I "coordinate" events. I will also go to events, bring rain, and pretend to be friendly. I will do online research for things as requested - health issues, best practices, food, whatever. I try to come up with flyers and info stuff. And I did the HW blog, plus have been bad at updating but do the other general blog. Now that I am going to take a little fostering break, I offered to be a foster mentor. There are lots of other things that people do too! Newsletters, reference checking, transports, etc.

I agree with Sarah on the whole

I met a little rescue girly this weekend who did the blink and cringe thing, waiting to be hit or yelled at but who followed me around, wanting attention - but also afraid of that attention. Luckily she's in a foster home so no need for my help but I just let her do her thing and eventually I was able to pet her.


Thank you for wanting to volunteer! If you go in with an open mind (and I am sure you will!) to what the dogs will teach you, your mind will be B L O W N!