What better day to adopt a pet or volunteer at an animal shelter than World Pet Day?
Volunteering at an animal shelter can be just as beneficial for you as it is for the animals. Of course the animals need some TLC, but have youthought about how much it could affect you?
Katie, VolunteerMark’s Communications Specialist, didn’t realize how much it would affect her. Katie and her family lost not one, but two animals to old age over the summer and it was really hard for them. After about a month of grieving, they decided to head to their local animal shelter (PAWS) to adopt a kitten.
They adopted this little guy:
After the adoption, Katie wanted to go back because she had fallen in love with all of the animals and felt a tug at her heart to help the people and animals at the shelter. She turned in an application and began volunteering as soon as they accepted it. She didn’t have a job at the time, and she was still upset about losing her pets over the summer, so she was looking for a positive change. The first week volunteering completely turned her mood around.
The people at the shelter were all compassionate and very welcoming toward her. As silly as it sounds, she not only created relationships with the people, but the animals, too. She began to look forward to the days that she volunteered and discovered skills she previously didn’t know she had. Plus, after she left the animal shelter, she got to go home to the new kitten they had saved.
Who knew that a little bit of volunteer work and adopting an animal could make someone so happy?
If that’s not enough reason to volunteer at your local animal shelter, here are some more benefits:
- Make an impact. If you think that volunteering at an animal shelter isn’t actually helping the animals, think again. You’re joining a compassionate group of people whose common goal is to save animals. You’re making their jobs a little easier and freeing up their time to do more good in the world.
- Make new friends. Of course you’ll make friends with the people who work at the shelter, but I guarantee you’ll make a ton of new furry friends, too.
- Attain skills for a new job. You’ll learn a ton from volunteering at an animal shelter. You’ll be doing some hard labor, but you’ll also learn soft skills, too. Everything you learn volunteering will help you with your career. Who knows, maybe volunteering at an animal shelter will lead you down a new career path.
Are you ready to volunteer or adopt yet? Here’s a list of our favorite local Kansas City animal shelters:
The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City
Heart of America Humane Society
If you’re not in the Kansas City area, visit Pet Finder to find animal shelters near you.
