The first full week of November, November 6 – 12, is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. Each year, this week is designated as a time to celebrate animal shelters across the country for the work they do to care for, train, feed, and rehome animals. Do you ever stop to think of the numerous responsibilities that go along with running a shelter? Many local shelters go above and beyond providing community outreach in addition to other duties. Many work together as part of a larger network to reach a wider audience across the country for animal placement. Let’s look at some of the many responsibilities these facilities face every day and how all of us can help not only celebrate these shelters but also support them!
Animal Shelter Duties
Running a shelter requires a lot of coordination as well as communication. These facilities do not just house animals awaiting homes. In addition to taking in strays and abandoned or relinquished animals, shelters are responsible for feeding and medicating them. Some of these animals require veterinarian care. So in addition to routine shifts of people who come in to walk, clean up after, and feed the animals, most shelters also require a veterinarian partnership or volunteer system setup with the veterinarians in their community.
Shelters are commonly funded by community donations, grants, or endowments. Many have no government assistance whatsoever. In addition to keeping the lights on, the heat running, the air conditioning blowing, and the water flowing, shelters have to provide food, medication, treats, toys, bedding, leashes, etc. Moreover, routine maintenance on a building and its grounds as well as paying utility bills is a huge responsibility physically and financially.
Animal Shelter Volunteers and Staff
Some shelters are fortunate enough to have paid employees while others rely solely upon or at least largely on volunteers. Volunteer coordinators are responsible for organizing daily agendas to ensure that animals are routinely checked on, fed, cleaned up after, and exercised. This typically requires multiple shifts of people throughout the day. Schedules have to be made in advance to accommodate other work schedules, vacations, etc. It is a bit of a juggling act to coordinate, especially when humans can be even less predictable than animals. In addition to these duties, people are needed to organize adoption events, interview potential adopters, and transport animals to events as well as to other shelters, etc.
Community Outreach
As if the duties of running a shelter weren’t enough, many shelters also provide community outreach. This widens the audience they reach and also illustrates that giving back goes both ways. Outreach programs for some shelters include taking animals to elderly homes and hospitals to visit those who may benefit from animal interaction. Studies have shown that time spent with animals can reduce depression and anxiety as well as assist those suffering from physical ailments.
Shelters across the country also participate in outreach for the homeless population. Many people who are homeless find that animal companionship provides a bond that is essential to their survival. As a result, shelters often set aside a percentage of the food they collect through donations in order to provide assistance for this portion of the population.
Other community outreach programs offered by some dog shelters include reading with children. Shelters that offer this activity ask children to bring books to the shelter and read to a dog. This program helps children practice reading aloud, provides the dogs with companionship, and often provides both child and dog a lesson in patience! In addition, this activity is an excellent way to teach young children that volunteering can be fun and rewarding.
Success Stories
With so much responsibility and expense, why do people even work for or volunteer at a shelter? There are many positives that make it all worthwhile. Many animals go on to settle into homes where they live a long and happy life, enriching the lives of their families and making a difference in many ways. Some go on to be service animals, providing much needed assistance to those who are physically disabled or require other types of support. Many say that rescued animals have a way of knowing and show a heightened sense of appreciation. If you have ever rescued an animal, you know exactly what that means.
How to Support Animal Shelters
Are you ready to help a local shelter? Most shelters offer a range of volunteer and donation opportunities. Options range from as little or as much time and/or money as you want to give. Here are just a few ways you can support your local animal shelter:
- Adopt, don’t shop! Spread the word that rescuing a shelter animal instead of buying one from a pet store is critical to saving animal lives.
- Donate items. Many shelters have a list of needs on their website or even their own Amazon Wishlist. These items may vary from cleaning supplies and food to towels and blankets.
- Set up an Amazon Smile Account that donates to your local shelter. This Amazon program allows you to designate a non-profit of your choice. A percentage of your purchase is then set aside for them.
- Support them on social media. Follow your local shelter on social media and share and like their posts to give them more coverage.
- Volunteer at your local shelter. You may be surprised at the range of duties from bookkeeping to animal care.
- Foster an animal from a shelter. Foster families free up needed space at the shelter and also provide insight into an animal’s needs that are only seen in a home environment.
Set aside just a little bit of time or money each month or even just each year to help your local shelter. No amount of effort is considered too small to make a difference!
Article Written by Rebecca Gatewood