shelter volunteer question

[Bridget]

A new shelter has opened in my neighborhood and I plan to volunteer there. But this time I have a particular idea of how I would like to help out. I would like to choose/be assigned one dog and work exclusively with that dog on all issues, including training, grooming, socialization, etc. try to get that dog adopted by taking him out in the community and such and then move on to a different dog. I don't have a problem with walking/caring for all the dogs, but I think my talents would be better spent working with dogs individually. I am hoping for opinions, especially from those who work in rescue and at shelters, whether my idea would be well received or even be allowed if the shelter doesn't have a program such as this? Is it always the expectation that a volunteer will just do general tasks?

[sit,stay]

A lot will depend on their insurance policy and what it will allow. I have seen shelters that allowed just what you're proposing and had great results and I have seen shelters have it go very, very wrong.

The shelter that I worked at would allow volunteers to take animals off grounds only when there was an adoption event sponsored by the shelter and where there was adequate supervision so that all handling and adoption protocols were followed. That is what their insurance policy was willing to cover.

I think you should talk to the volunteer coordinator at this new shelter and make your proposal to her/him. Lay out your dog handling and training experience and discuss what their adoption protocols are and how your intentions can support their program.

Good luck!
Sheilah

[Chicagocanine]

They might have you start with walking dogs or something. Most shelters I know do have volunteers who work on behavior and things but those are dog trainers who the staff knows well, so if it's someone new that they don't know I'm not sure if they would allow it.

[Rerun]

Unless you're planning to go daily or multiple times a day, I can't see how it would be very effective. Nor can I see them letting you take the dog off the property unless you were fostering it.

I would just foster, if you only want to work on one at a time. That's the real way to make a difference to that one dog. Housetrain it, obedience train it, socialize it, have it look and smell nice for potential adopters....housetraining adults is the biggie that helps. That is a HUGE reason for surrendering to the shelter.

[DJEtzel]

At the shelter where I work that's pretty normal. We have general volunteers that can walk whatever dogs they want and do whatever they want with them. You wouldn't need to ask or tell anyone here that you were going to be working exclusively with a certain dog or anything. I can't imagine why you'd have to do that anywhere else either. If you walk/train the same dog every day it's no different than if you walk different ones.

eta; we wouldn't welcome the idea, but we wouldn't discourage it. To be honest, the volunteers are a joke and do not help at our shelter. They aren't respected and if you gave us an idea like that, while it would help if done right, would probably not mean much and we'd laugh about it.

[Bridget]

Fostering is what I would really love to do, but I can't as I don't have room and two of my three dogs are dog aggressive and would make a foster pet's life ****.

Too bad about the volunteers at your shelter not being very helpful. I wonder why.

[Chicagocanine]

Also wanted to add, I know some shelters have dogs go to training classes and want volunteers to bring the dogs to the classes (have to commit to bringing the dog to the class each week). Again though I think they only allow regular volunteers who have been there for a while to do that.

[DJEtzel]

Originally Posted by Bridget

Too bad about the volunteers at your shelter not being very helpful. I wonder why.

Well, when you're managing an 80-90 dog kennel and you have volunteers constantly not paying attention, asking dumb questions, and getting in the way, it gets really old really quick. We have a few great volunteers, and those are the ones that stay out of the kennels and help with laundry, dishes, etc. The dog walkers/trainers end up training the dogs to jump instead of sit, leave mud all over the floors, put incompatible dogs together, touch puppies, etc. It is overwhelming. DON'T be that volunteer!

[onyx'girl]

Originally Posted by DJEtzel

Well, when you're managing an 80-90 dog kennel and you have volunteers constantly not paying attention, asking dumb questions, and getting in the way, it gets really old really quick. We have a few great volunteers, and those are the ones that stay out of the kennels and help with laundry, dishes, etc. The dog walkers/trainers end up training the dogs to jump instead of sit, leave mud all over the floors, put incompatible dogs together, touch puppies, etc. It is overwhelming. DON'T be that volunteer!

When I use to volunteer at the kennel DJ is writing of, many of the "volunteers" were people who had court ordered community service volunteering sentences. Those were the ones I didn't like to see, unless they were happy to be there, usually they just came in to fill the time commitment but weren't committed to helping the animals. That kennel would let pretty much anyone take out(walk) dogs, and didn't screen them, a few dogs would get away from the volunteers, too.
They would even let you "check out" a dog for an afternoon outing, my son and his friends use to do it often, and they were only 16.

Bridget, just go to your new shelter and get to know the staff. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you volunteer in whatever capacity you can give them!

[DJEtzel]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

When I use to volunteer at the kennel DJ is writing of, many of the "volunteers" were people who had court ordered community service volunteering sentences. Those were the ones I didn't like to see, unless they were happy to be there, usually they just came in to fill the time commitment but weren't committed to helping the animals. That kennel would let pretty much anyone take out(walk) dogs, and didn't screen them, a few dogs would get away from the volunteers, too.
They would even let you "check out" a dog for an afternoon outing, my son and his friends use to do it often, and they were only 16.

Bridget, just go to your new shelter and get to know the staff. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you volunteer in whatever capacity you can give them!

Yeah, from what you've told me, a lot has changed since the previous director left. We do not have many community service volunteers come in, but those are the only ones that really help, because they have to. Everyone else goes through a few orientations to walk dogs and get familiar with the kennels, but still don't know what they're doing. No one is allowed to check out dogs or puppies like that anymore, either. They have to be trained foster homes.