Volunteering... Behind The Scenes

There are many areas where you can volunteer in dog rescue, but you may not feel too comfortable dealing primarily with the public. If the human population isn't your strong point, then why not work directly with the dogs? There are several ways you can involve yourself with the animals, and each position has its own rewards.

You can decide to work in foster care, which is undoubtedly the most time-consuming and biggest of commitments. Your home becomes a temporary haven for the dog; the step between being rescued and going to a new, (hopefully!) forever home. The dedication required in training and helping to place the dog isn't for everyone, which is perfectly alright. Other positions exist where you can still work with the animals.

Transportation of dogs if often needed. This can be as short as a few blocks across town to a veterinarian's appointment, or a dog may need to be driven to a new home in another state. Occasionally people "car-pool" a dog to a new home, taking different legs of the journey that are closest to them.

Or you may be interested in visiting the dog kennels for some one-on-one time with the dogs themselves. Kennel staff are often looking for volunteers to come by and help exercise the dogs. You can also work on socialization and basic obedience training while the dog is waiting to be placed. Organizations that are understaffed and overworked appreciate this, as there is precious little time for them to accomplish this properly themselves.

Other possible avenues of interest for those who desire to stay "out of the limelight" are helping with paper work and fundraising. People are needed to assist with mailings and envelope stuffings for various events, such as newsletters, fundraising events, etc... You may also help by hanging flyers. Groups often like to advertise their services in public places such as supermarkets, post offices, libraries, and other public bulletin boards. The more helping hands the better!

If you don't mind a little public contact, you could help with "adoption days". Many groups and shelters sponsor these at local pet stores, or other public facilities, and often bring along adoptable dogs for the public to meet. You can be as involved as helping to handle the dogs, or handing out flyers and educational material.

As for fundraising, you can get involved with the actual events. This could range from mailings to baking cupcakes for a bake sale! Every organization goes about this differently; you can contact one near you to see how you can help.

Somewhere among these various duties is a comfortable place where your skills might come in handy. There is always something needing to be done, and unfortunately there are always dogs that need our help. If everybody pulls together, we can make a difference. Somewhere out there is a dog that needs and deserves a second chance; let's help make that happen!