Many people disagree about the best way to help abandoned animals. Some say it is enough to give money to charities. Others believe that volunteering your time is more important than donating. Here, one team of volunteers explains how weekend work at an animal shelter works for them.
Emma – coordinator
I was really pleased when the shelter manager asked me to organise the weekend volunteers. The shelter needs someone reliable, and I’m good at planning and keeping records. Unlike most of the volunteers, I’m quite shy, so working in the small office suits me very well. I answer emails, prepare the schedule and talk to new volunteers on the phone. It’s not a very visible job, but it’s important. Miguel is great with the dogs and shows new people how to handle them. Sara organises events and is very confident. She thinks she’s the real boss, but of course I disagree. Our manager is talking about opening a second shelter next year. Even if that happens, this place will still feel like “my” project.
Miguel – long-term volunteer
Emma is an excellent coordinator. She’s patient and always calm, even when people arrive late. I’ve been coming here every Saturday for five years, so I know all the routines. I’m usually in charge of the dogs. I don’t like to follow a strict plan for the morning. I walk through the kennels, see who looks nervous, and decide who needs extra time outside. Sara says I’m disorganised and too traditional, but I think the animals are happier this way. Some volunteers want to use apps and colour charts for everything. I prefer to look and listen to the animals. If something is working, why change it?
Sara – student volunteer
I love working with Miguel because he knows every animal in the shelter, but he isn’t very interested in new ideas. Right now, I’m designing a new adoption event with games for children and short training shows with the dogs. Miguel doesn’t think that’s a very good idea, and I don’t want to annoy him, so I don’t talk about it all the time. Daniel agrees with me, though. He’s a great “people person” — he knows how to talk to visitors and explain all the rules, and he is so sociable and outgoing. It’s the perfect job for him! I’m sure more modern events will help us find homes for many more animals.
Daniel – weekend helper
At first I was worried because I can be bossy, but actually we haven’t had any big arguments. Sara has ambitious plans for the shelter, and I know we will succeed. At the moment, most of our visitors are local people who already know about us. I can tell, because I like talking to everyone who comes in. When Sara’s new events start, we’ll have visitors from all over the region. The only bad thing about this work is the long days. We clean cages, walk dogs and talk to families until late in the evening, and I stand up for hours and hours. Sometimes I feel so tired that I don’t want to smile anymore! But when I see an animal leave with a new family, I remember why it’s worth it.