# Wanting to volunteer in rescue or shelters



## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

From another thread - interest in volunteering - and action! 
Jean 
Admin

are people actually geting more stupid by the minute or are we just hearing more because of easier communication???


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Okay - the OP is looking into helping out at a shelter/rescue volunteering based on another thread that was particularly eye opening to them. Which is great that you are doing this x11. Sometimes it takes a while to get contact back. It took a few months for me to start with the first rescue I volunteered with - and I had just adopted 2 dogs from them!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

rescue was busy a kid without a drivers licence said they got a call to pick a box of free puppies on the side of a busy road several calls have come in just a box with a big sign on it FREE PUPPIES, the pups are apparently in bad shape from one caller that could not bring the box in herself as the pups were crawling with fleas and look sick, some possibly dead.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I saw in the other thread that you are going to volunteer at your local shelter -- kudos! You will have a direct impact saving lives that way. _That _is where the misery is, and where you can help make a difference for dogs in real need. 

Shelters need volunteers who are willing to get their hands dirty working with dogs (as opposed to sitting at home and "liking" shelter listings shared by others, which is the new form of fake Facebook activism for people who are too lazy to do actual work). It's hard work, and sometimes it's emotionally exhausting, but every one you help get out makes it _so _worth doing.

We can't save them all, but for the ones we save, it matters.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

x11 said:


> rescue was busy a kid without a drivers licence said they got a call to pick a box of free puppies on the side of a busy road several calls have come in just a box with a big sign on it FREE PUPPIES, the pups are apparently in bad shape from one caller that could not bring the box in herself as the pups were crawling with fleas and look sick, some possibly dead.




Yeah, I should mention that it might be more depressing than just reading about it on boards, but when you can help, really nice. I hope you are able to help - it is really needed. I personally do not help in shelters because I can't hack it. I wish I could, but I need some filters on the suffering and sadness. 

Let me know if you want to change the title of this thread.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

this group appears organised with lots of funding but form where? and some heavyweight members - the guy from motley-crue even (just thought THAT seemed weirdly/funny given his pamella vid a few years back)


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Yeah, I should mention that it might be more depressing than just reading about it on boards, but when you can help, really nice. I hope you are able to help - it is really needed. I personally do not help in shelters because I can't hack it. I wish I could, but I need some filters on the suffering and sadness.
> 
> *Let me know if you want to change the title of this thread*.


 i would prefer a separate thread just about rescue volunteering, somehow the two separate issues have intermingled here.

i would also be very interested in any lobby groups active to end dog fighting both in countries where it is illegal and countries where it is still legal, suggestions. groups active to end dog fighting


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Here you go! Would love to see this thread get popular.  Thanks, x11. Kind of changed the direction the night was going for me to think that someone is going to help.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

hey thanks but you err might have to pull down a thread i just started re similar title. typed at same time.

thanks


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Ha! I will leave it there and I added the link to this one - typing at the same time again!

groups active to end dog fighting


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

right looking for pledges publicly stated here on the board eg;

simple as a public pledge to contact yr local and gather info on their operation

les simple pledge a realistic minimum weekly/monthly hours with starting date.

i know lots of members here are already doing or done great things, trying to get fellow first timers going knid of like those weight watcher support groups.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

x11 said:


> right looking for pledges publicly stated here on the board eg;
> 
> simple as a public pledge to contact yr local and gather info on their operation
> 
> ...


Perfect! :wub:


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

The first step is call your shelter and ask if they have a volunteer training program, and if so, how to sign up. Some don't have one. Some have a formal one that's required to get access to dog kennels.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

what is realistically helpful to rescues from a volunteer role?, i work for a living and am a bit time-poor. i don't have any family so got a break there as far as time goes. i like to give my own dawgies every second of my spare time but know volunteering will have to have impact on that, how do you get the balance?

is giving cash just as helpful?


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## San (Mar 22, 2012)

Different things you can do, you can be a foster, run home visits/applications, or help out at meet and greet/fundraising events for a rescue group. 

Hubby and I just took in a Dutchie mix 3 weeks ago (we were in between GSD fosters) because he was on the euthanasia list at our local animal shelter. This particular animal shelter has a group of volunteers that manage a facebook site. The volunteers take photos of dogs at the shelter and put them on facebook. The volunteers keep in touch with the shelter and info on each dog's availability is updated very regularly. 

Our Dutchie's info was shared multiple times on Facebook and it eventually reached one of our dog club members, he directed us to him. Had it not been these volunteers and this Facebook site, we wouldn't have known about him, and he probably would've been euthanized (he was an owner return with behavioral issues, the couple had him for a year, and said he urinated/defecated/out-of-control in the house).


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

cool stuff, hope i can be posting good ending stories some time.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Anything you can do will help. Seriously - we have people who come to meet and greets with their own dogs - well behaved so as not to add to the chaos (HA!) and help answer questions, talk to people, hold another dog so a foster can talk to someone. 

Cash is hugely helpful. I will say that literally ANY amount helps. With that in mind, you do need to be careful - I once donated for a dog's surgery and found out that the money went to a different fund - which would be fine if they had asked, was not because they didn't. If you don't trust the group, you can make a donation directly to the vet, give a gift card for a pet supply store that doesn't sell animals, or give supplies. 









Temporary fosters can help when people go on vacation, have an event or illness, or need some help. 

Some other ideas: Volunteer-Opportunities

Yes, facebook, twitter, pictures, answering emails, processing applications, all are really helpful.

Also check this: How to distinguish reputable rescue's from others


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

x11 said:


> what is realistically helpful to rescues from a volunteer role?, i work for a living and am a bit time-poor. i don't have any family so got a break there as far as time goes. i like to give my own dawgies every second of my spare time but know volunteering will have to have impact on that, how do you get the balance?
> 
> is giving cash just as helpful?


If you are a member on FB - you can find a local rescue and join their FB page. They'll provide daily listings on FB of dogs that need foster, adoption and/or funding. Most listings will have a story about the dog. You can share that posting and put it on your FB for others to see. Most will even provide medical updates on specific cases, sharing those will help give the dog a better chance with additional funding for medical costs. 

They also provide links for easy funding - even $10 helps in most cases. The more you share, the more opportunity the dogs have at finding a home and/or getting funding. 

The one that I deal with will even ask for help with transportation or over night fosters. Sometimes being able to donate one gas tank and a full day can help save several dogs from being PTS. All you have to do is pick up and deliver. Easy enough for you, but makes all the difference to those who dedicate their lives to the rescue.


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Have been wanting to do this. Recently been checking out local rescues to see if I can do any thing.


Little story, when I lived in NJ, I would go hiking every morning. Every morning, would see the same two folks, with different dogs, every week or so. They foster and rescue. They asked if I were interested in fostering, but could not do it living where I were.
These dogs looked so **** happy just to be romping around the woods. Could only imagine what they may have come from.

Good thread.
Hope others pick up on it.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

You might be able to do something as simple as handling an adoptable dog's leash an an off-site adoption event to get started. Those might be held at the mall, farmer's market, public parks, or big box stores like PetSmart. We _always _need extra bodies to hold a leash for a couple of hours at those events (the shelter staff loads up the van with dogs, but once the van gets to the event, we need people to handle each dog -- esp. the big dogs).


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Do places like the humane society and the like usually have age limits? I'd like to get involved again and at some point involve my kids. I have volunteered @ the local humane society before, but its been a long time. I was talked into fostering pregnant cats, yea and I'm not a huge cat fan at all. I went through 3 litters and then decided I needed a break. Anyways I'll check back in with HS and see what I can do.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

It depends on the organization regarding kids. And groups generally do have pretty specific liability waivers that fosters/volunteers have to sign. 

But kids can do a lot of stuff - fundraising is one big one that kids do well, in their schools, in place of gifts at birthday parties give a donation to a dog kind of thing. 

And I love when there are foster homes with kids because then that means you can adopt out to homes with kids, knowing the dog has what it takes to live 24/7 with kids. I am a no kid foster home and take no kid dogs, so really appreciate the others!


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> It depends on the organization regarding kids. And groups generally do have pretty specific liability waivers that fosters/volunteers have to sign.
> 
> But kids can do a lot of stuff - fundraising is one big one that kids do well, in their schools, in place of gifts at birthday parties give a donation to a dog kind of thing.
> 
> And I love when there are foster homes with kids because then that means you can adopt out to homes with kids, knowing the dog has what it takes to live 24/7 with kids. I am a no kid foster home and take no kid dogs, so really appreciate the others!


Thanks, the birthday idea I hadn't heard of before, good stuff.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I started out just walking big dogs in the adoption program -- it's something any experienced GSD owner should feel very comfortable doing. It sounds like a small thing, but most of our regular volunteers are older ladies who aren't physically fit. They can't run a dog--or even take one on a brisk 30-minute walk. They take dogs out for a turn around a big field and are done. If you can take a cooped up working-breed adolescent out for a 30-minute run to allow the dog to release the "cage crazies," you'll see a totally different dog at the end of it. There was an adolescent GSD straight from the shelter who was totally unmanageable at the start an adoption event and was going to be taken back to the shelter as he was setting all the other dogs off and causing lots of trouble. My DH took him for a long run instead. The dog came back to the event after the run a different dog--calm, happy, easy-going, sociable with other dogs -- and got adopted that afternoon.

I also started fostering by doing "weekend fosters" (take approved dogs home on Friday, so that they can go to several off-site weekend adoption events on Saturday and Sunday, then return them Monday AM if they don't get adopted). My weekend fosters got adopted at the events, and I never had to take them back to the shelter. It's a very easy way to start fostering, particularly if you fear getting "stuck" with a dog for a long time. It really does the long-termers a world of good to break up the monotony of shelter life. There are also sometimes short-term fosters needed for spay and neuter recovery (they recover faster, with less risk of infection, in a home for a week, or even a long weekend), or 2-week fosters needed for transportation certification (commercial transports won't take them if they haven't been fostered outside the shelter for 2 weeks, to prove they aren't carrying any disease that hasn't broken out yet).

You can start out doing small things that are actually big things for the dogs you help.


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