Its pretty easy to say, “I love dogs.”. How could you not? From noble guardians of the home to adorable bundles of fur and joy, no matter your disposition, there is a dog for you; the old appellation of Man’s Best Friend still rings resoundingly true to this day. However, there are those whose affection goes beyond simply loving their own dogs. These individuals contribute back in a myriad of ways but one that many choose is donating their time to local dog shelters, helping less fortunate dogs in need.
Different organizations will of course have their own tasks for volunteers to take care of. While there are a wide variety of things to do, not all of them may be pleasant. At the event HotSpawts volunteered for with Atlanta Humane Society, we cleaned cages for the dogs and cats sheltered at their Roswell location. It was tough but rewarding work; the cages needed to be cleaned before the shelter opened to the public, and that means getting a move on. Making a difference in the lives of dogs in need, however, is its own reward.
Other times, you may be asked to walk dogs, as HotSpawts was asked to do when we volunteered at PAWS Atlanta. Dogs all need to be walked, and with limited personnel on hand many shelters can use volunteers to get these dogs walked faster. While it depends on the temperament of the dog you get, this can be a very relaxing experience, for both you and the dogs. It was easy to see how much these dogs enjoyed getting to stretch their legs and run around. In addition, having different volunteers come in and walk the dogs helps to socialize them so their transition to a forever home may go more smoothly.
Although these organizations were different in many ways one thing that always held true was the dedication needed to run these dog shelters. After speaking to multiple people from both organizations we realized that the type of drive it takes to run an animal shelter is not something that can be done routinely. It takes a special breed of person to deal with all of the challenges the job entails. The people who work and volunteer for these organizations have dedicated themselves to improving the dog community around them, and that commitment is to be commended.
The tasks mentioned above are only a few of the things shelters may ask volunteers to help with; many shelters will try to give newer volunteers easier dogs and assignments so they can work up to the more demanding tasks on return visits. No matter how often you contribute, however, every bit of help counts. Manpower is required for all sorts of necessary duties, and the fact is that many shelters can use all the help they can get. If you think your love of dogs goes beyond the call of just taking care of your own, HotSpawts encourages you to visit your local shelter and donate your time for a worthy cause. It is incredibly rewarding improving the lives of these animals, and we hope that you can make the time to give back to those who who bring us such joy every day.