Getting Started as an Animal Shelter Volunteer

In this practical episode, host Penny Ellison speaks with Megan, a dedicated volunteer with 17 years of experience at the Pennsylvania SPCA. They explore how to overcome the intimidation of volunteering at animal shelters and the various ways anyone can make a meaningful difference in shelter animals' lives.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 Breaking Down Volunteering Barriers: Penny discusses why many animal lovers hesitate to volunteer and how to bridge the gap between wanting to help and actually helping
• 02:30 Starting the Volunteering Journey: Megan shares how she began volunteering with a friend and formed bonds with individual dogs that kept her coming back
• 04:15 Navigating Shelter Orientation: How the orientation process helps new volunteers feel comfortable and prepared
• 06:45 Exploring Diverse Volunteer Roles: Beyond dog walking - making enrichment toys, handling events, photography, cat work, and media appearances
• 09:30 Creating Flexible Volunteering Schedules: How even busy people can fit meaningful volunteering into their lives
• 11:15 Shelter Success Stories: Megan recounts helping a struggling shelter dog find a foster home
• 13:00 Media Exposure for Adoptable Animals: How television appearances help increase adoption rates
• 15:30 Taking Dogs on "Off-Site" Adventures: The benefits of getting dogs out of the shelter environment
• 18:45 Managing Emotional Challenges: Strategies for handling difficult days, especially in the post-COVID era
• 21:30 Personal Growth Through Volunteering: How 17 years of shelter work transformed Megan into an empath

Penny notes that just two hours of volunteering weekly provides shelter animals with 104 hours of human interaction annually. Megan emphasizes the volunteer community as vital support: "You are part of this giant family... you're all there for the same reason."

 

For all episodes, show, notes and links visit us at animaladvocacyacademy.com