Though these agencies work tirelessly, they are in dire need of helping hands. These organizations are almost always non-profit; that means they rely on financial donations and willing local volunteers for their subsistence. If you are looking for a way to volunteer or give back to your community, consider volunteer work at your local animal shelter. Here are a few reasons why you should help, and how you can help save the lives of these precious, unfortunate dogs and cats.

Why should you help your local humane society or animal shelter by volunteering? The rewards are endless. First, you will be saving the valuable life of an animal. Stray animals that have been on the streets too long or who have been at local shelters for too long of a time period are euthanized. By donating your time, you are helping the shelter find people who will adopt these pets and provide them with a home. By volunteering at your local shelter, you will also gain a tremendous satisfaction in helping your local community by caring for and saving the lives of unfortunate cats and dogs. You will receive the love and gratitude of the animals you work with and play with; the warm fuzzy feeling of being appreciated and loved by an animal is an irreplaceable one. By volunteering, you may also find out that you possess skills you were completely unaware of. Discovering new affinities and talents may surprise you. Finally, if you are significantly interested in helping animals and possess a love for the unfortunate, there are many careers available in the non-profit animal organization arena as well.

First, you will want to start by locating the animal shelter nearest you; you can search under “animal shelters,” “humane society,” or “animal control.” Once you have located them, the best thing to do is to contact the organization directly and inform them that you may be interested in volunteering your time there. They will be able to give you information on their volunteer requirements, as well as be able to inform you of what areas they are most in need of volunteer work. Volunteer work at shelter may include walking dogs, playing with dogs or cats, bathing or grooming the animals, stuffing envelopes with informative letters, aiding in fundraising events, or helping publicize for an event.

Animal shelters, your local humane society, or an animal control center near you will value and greatly appreciate your volunteered help, not to mention the animals you will interact with. Take a chance and invest in the priceless lives of unfortunate pets. Help these organizations find loving, caring homes for these pets that deserve a second chance at life by volunteering your time and efforts. It will be well worth it!

Every year, thousands of animals find themselves in the custody of local animal pounds. The primary function of these facilities has been to collect unwanted animals, hold them for a prescribed amount to time, and then euthanize the animal. Often, the method of euthanasia is less than humane.

In defense of some local shelters staff members work long and hard to find unwanted animals an adopted home. It is common for local shelters to work with the Human Society or other animal advocacy groups to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals. These efforts include low-cost or free-of-cost spay and neuter clinics. In many cases, local governments support these efforts with additional funding and staffing.

Sadly, even the most gallant efforts are not enough to stop the euthanasia of thousands of animals every year. The truth is that most local shelters lack sufficient funding to hold animals for a prolonged period of time. Shelter cost is minimal but the cost of food, supplies and veterinary care can quickly outstrip meager shelter budgets.

My own local county-run shelter has placed a tremendous effort on educating the public about the plight of unwanted dogs. Much of their effort has been toward finding suitable adopted homes for the dogs in their care, often holding dogs longer than the minimum time allowed by law. In contrast to past practices, the change in focus has born fruit with a sharp increase in the numbers of adoptions. Perspective owners must pay a fee that helps to defray some of the operational cost, including veterinary care.

Still, the shelter is forced to kill many more dogs than are adopted. The stark reality is that there are always more dogs than adopted homes. A casual drive through the county often results in many dogs on the loose, abandoned or otherwise without homes. Abandoned and lost dogs on the loose only compound the problem, assuming that most of these wandering souls have not been spayed or neutered.

The situation is worse for cats, since the only local, no-kill cat shelter closed due to lack of funding. Cats that otherwise might have been sheltered and cared for until adoption now roam the countryside doing what cats in the wild do best – make more cats.

The No-Kill Philosophy

One way to think of no-kill animal shelters is to think of sanctuary for lost and abandoned souls. Animals who might otherwise find themselves the victims of the elements, lack of food or highway traffic are given a place to stay. As the term implies, no-kill means exactly that. Animal guests are not put to death after a defined period of time. Those animals in need of medical attention received it. Many shelters will accept animals without question or judgment.

The idea behind most no-kill animal shelters is to keep and care for lost or abandoned animals until the owner arrives or the animal can be given a new adopted home. There are obvious challenges to this type of operation. Space and funding are the biggest hurdles and it takes a dedicated fundraising effort to support these unique shelters. As the numbers of animal guests grows, space can be a limitation, even if adequate funding can be generated.

Like many non-profit organizations, no-kill animal shelters rely on the efforts of dedicated volunteers. Community members, veterinarians and other animal lovers are a vital part of these animal shelters. Corporate sponsorship is often received in the form of food and medicines.

In virtually every state, there is a no-kill shelter available. While local shelters will care for animals until the day comes for euthanasia, no-kill animal shelters are a wonderful alternative.