Job Description of an Animal Shelter Volunteer
Animal shelters provide care, food, and water for abandoned or homeless pets. While animal shelters hire some paid employees, volunteers typically comprise a portion of the staff.
Duties
Some volunteers work directly with animals, performing tasks like feeding, bathing and exercising or walking animals. Other volunteers interact with prospective pet owners, introducing them to pets, helping them fill out adoption forms or providing advice about pet care.
Skills
Shelters often pair people's skills with volunteer assignments, such as using someone with computer skills to produce advertising fliers for fund-raising events or adoption drives.
Environment
Animal shelters are sometimes loud and working with animals is often messy. Volunteering can be emotionally stressful as some animals taken to the shelter have suffered abuse or neglect.
Requirements
Most animal shelters have a minimum age for volunteers. Shelters may require you to attend a training course or orientation program.
Benefits
Animal shelter volunteers typically do not receive compensation. Volunteering at a shelter provides individuals with beneficial work experience for those interested in pursuing a career related to veterinary science or another animal-related field.
Tags: Animal Shelter, Animal Shelter Volunteer, animal shelters, Animal shelters, Description Animal