INTRODUCTION

ALL ABOUT ANIMALS

Animals

Animals - introduction
From pets as therapy to kitten cuddling - behind the scenes of volunteering with animal charities.

Seeking sanctuary
How volunteers are helping abandoned animals.

Hands-on roles
Hands-on opportunities with animals can be tough, but the rewards are plain to see.

Animals in action
How animals (and their volunteers) are helping people in hospitals and in the community.

Animals - introduction

Volunteering with animals is one of the most popular categories of search on the do-it.org.uk website. But how much do you really know about animal charities and the ways in which you can give time to help them?

Which role?

Many charities say that their biggest challenge is getting enough people for roles that don't involve working directly with the animals. Fundraising and admin might not have the immediate appeal of dog walking, but they are just as important.

"These roles are vital for animal charities," says Karen Shaw of the RSPCA , "and they also provide volunteers with a great chance to use, or learn, skills."

Janet Compton, Head of Volunteering at PDSA , says that the key is matching the person to the opportunity. "By ensuring that we provide roles that people enjoy," she says, "and managing their time in a professional way, we have managed to double our volunteer numbers in the last seven years."

Behind the scenes

To help you decide what suits you best, we've put together three articles that go behind the scenes of volunteering with animal charities. What do volunteers do, and why do they do it?

Karin Modig speaks to people volunteering in animal sanctuaries (did you know there is a monkey sanctuary in Cornwall?)

Hannah Jolliffe looks at roles that involve working directly with animals, and finds that volunteers need real passion and commitment.

And Mo Kanneh finds that it's not just people who help animals. Animals, helped by volunteers at organisations like Pets As Therapy, can return the favour.

There are thousands of volunteering opportunities with animal charities on the do-it.org.uk database - search for opportunities in your local area.

Seeking sanctuary

By Karin Modig

Every year thousands of animals across the country are left without a home. Some are abandoned, others are rescued from neglect and mistreatment, and some are given up for various personal reasons. Last year alone, the RSPCA re-homed 70,000 animals, and many more were re-homed by other animal charities.

Animal sanctuaries become temporary homes for these animals, while they wait to be re-homed. The centres are dependant on volunteers to keep open, and across the country there are many volunteer opportunities available; from kennel cleaning and guinea pig caring, to grounds maintenance and reception work.

Fulfilment

For the past seven years, Julie Gierus has been a volunteer at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. One of around 140 volunteers that help the home run smoothly, she spends about 15 hours a week there. Julie started thinking about volunteering when her children grew up, and she felt "a bit redundant".

Being a dog-owner herself, she chose to volunteer with dogs. By own admission, she has "a particular soft spot for the greyhounds", and three times a week she can be seen walking around Battersea with one or two greyhounds in tow. She also spends time in the kennels and does some paperwork. After seven years, she has no intention of giving it up. "I just love it," she says. "I get so much fulfilment and enjoyment from it, and I have never not wanted to go."

There are many abandoned cats that need a bit of TLC as well, and at Cats Protection's North London Cat Shelter, Hayley Beckus is volunteering as a cat socialiser. "I just go in and spend time with the cats, and play with them," she says. Having had cats around when she grew up, she missed having a cat for company when she moved to London. "I live in a flat, and I might go back to South Africa next year, so it is not really possible for me to get a cat at the moment."

Hayley decided to volunteers at the shelter after spotting it from the bus. "I saw the shelter, and I went in and asked if I could help." Now she tries to go in at least once a week and spends an hour or so with the cats. She has been volunteering for about four weeks, and is really enjoying it. The only drawback, she says with a laugh, is that she sometimes comes home "scratched to pieces by the kittens".

Spending time with animals is by no means the only way you can help animal homes. Rachel Holdsworth started as a cat socialiser at the North London Cat Shelter over a year ago, but soon found herself in a different position. "I love cats, and that is why I wanted to be a cat socialiser," she says, "but as soon as the management found out that I work as a web editor, they asked if I could do their website for them."

"I do what's really needed"

Michael Eagleton is a volunteer for the Blue Cross Adoption Centre in Lewknor. Having volunteered for animal charities for years, he says he "prefers animals to people." Although he does some dog walking as "a bit of a sideline", his main responsibility is creating publicity for the centre. Michael mostly works from home, and the hours he works varies from week to week. "I do what is needed really, producing posters, contacting vets and pet shops, and organising fundraising."

Before the centre opened he was busy putting up posters in vet surgeries and pet shops in the area, and since they opened, he has concentrated on fundraising. "We organised some very successful collections in supermarkets and department stores," Michael explains, "and I also arranged a big band concert in aid of the centre."

The hard work has paid off, and many animals have been re-homed quickly. One of Michael's personal favourites, a Jack Russell called Buster, being one of them. "It is quite emotional when they leave," he says, "but it is good to know that we have helped find a good home for them."

It is by no means, only dogs and cats that are being abandoned or rescued. Last year the RSPCA also had to re-home rabbits, horses, snakes, ferrets, and pigs. Cornwall has even got a sanctuary for abandoned monkeys, The Monkey Sanctuary Trust. Although there is no such thing as monkey socialising, there are many other volunteering opportunities available - food preparation, gardening, building and decorating are just some of the jobs you can take on to help the monkeys of Cornwall.

Hands-on roles

By Hannah Jolliffe

In any given month, more than 20,000 people search do-it.org.uk for opportunities to volunteer with animals. While many organisations need volunteers mainly for 'back-room' roles like fundraising, administration or helping in charity shops, there is still a wide variety of opportunities for those who want to spend their time in a hands-on role.

Animal sanctuaries

For a truly hands-on experience, many animal rescue homes need volunteers to spend time befriending animals and helping them to overcome their often troubled pasts.

The Chestnut Cat Sanctuary in Essex relies on volunteer Cat Cuddlers to talk and play with the cats and show them love. But be warned, this kind of opportunity isnt always as cute as it sounds.

"A quarter of our cats are strays, others are homeless because their owner has died or moved away and left them behind," explains the manager, Jackie De Friez. "We don't have cute cuddly cats with little bows waiting for a cuddle, some are quite traumatised so we require volunteers who are well adjusted and who really want to help benefit the cat's life."

One volunteer who fits this bill perfectly is Hamish Macalaster. He's been volunteering for the sanctuary for over two years and spends time with the cats every day.

"Like humans, no two cats are ever the same so you learn something new about cats all the time," he says. "Some cats want lots of love and cuddles, which I give them, others are unhappy or stressed so you have to deal with them more carefully. When I help to bring a miserable cat around it really does make me feel like I've done something to help. When I see a happy cat get homed I feel like I've achieved something."

Horsing around

As well as helping animals you can also get involved in assisting animals that in turn benefit people.

At Chigwell Riding Trust for Special Needs there are 14 ponies and 150 riders aged between three and 73, all with some kind of disability or learning difficulty. "We are totally dependent on volunteers we couldn't run without them," explains the school's Manager, Deborah Hall. Each rider needs up to three helpers each - one to lead the pony and two side helpers to offer both physical and moral support to the rider.

Although they currently have around 100 volunteers, Deborah says the school would benefit from an extra six every day. Typical duties include mucking out, sweeping the yard, cleaning the tack and grooming the horses as well as either leading them or acting as a side helper. Volunteers who are keen riders can even ride the ponies in their own time if they wish.

"This is a very hands-on opportunity and that really appeals to people who want to volunteer with animals," says Deborah. "Generally our volunteers stay here for quite a while because they enjoy it so much."

Offering a home

Another option is to go one step further and actually take an animal into your home. Many charities need people to foster animals while they find them a permanent home.

It's not easy to take an animal in, give it a good home and then let it go when someone offers it a permanent home, but it's rewarding to know that you're providing a comfy alternative to an animal home and freeing up valuable space there for other animals.

Most volunteer fosterers are reimbursed for any equipment and food costs. They are expected to have experience of caring for the species of animal being fostered and to have enough free time to commit fully to the animal's needs. It's not a job for the novice, but it's incredibly worthwhile if you're an animal lover with time on your hands and plenty of energy.

Animals in action

By Mo Kanneh

While many volunteers help animals, there are also animals that are returning the favour. Many animals, and their volunteers, help a range of people - from those with disabilities, to people on the mend in hospital.

Hearing dogs

Hearing Dogs For Deaf People was launched at the Crufts Dog Show in 1982. The organisation was set up to train dogs to alert their deaf owners to specific sounds in the home, place of work or in public buildings. They have now placed over 1,000 dogs throughout the United Kingdom.

"The dogs are changing lives in so many ways," says Jenny Moir, a spokesperson for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. "They bring security to their owner as they can alert them to fire alarms and smoke detectors. The dogs can also alert owners to the phone and babies crying. They don't bark to get the attention of the owner; they use touch and lie down to signify there may be a possible danger. The dogs bring a sense of independence to the owner."

"When a hearing dog is around this usually means the deaf person's carer can go back to work," Jenny continues. "This new found independence for the deaf person then brings confidence. The owner will take the dog for a walk and people will usually stop them and talk about the dog. People will be aware that the owner is deaf as the dog wears a jacket saying the owner is deaf. People will take the time to converse face to face with the owner. This brings about a feeling of social inclusion. Deafness is an invisible disability, so people don't tend to communicate with deaf people. The dog brings them back to the world."

Many people are currently benefiting from hearing dogs. "We have 1,200 dogs that have been placed as hearing dogs," Jenny says. "Many of the dogs were placed when we first started in 1982, so some of them are reaching the end of their lives and many more are now being trained to take over."

There are many volunteering opportunities with Hearing Dogs For Deaf People. "You could be a puppy socialiser," says Jenny. "This involves taking in a puppy for about eight months and preparing it for a life as a hearing dog. We also need emergency carers and dog walkers when the owners are under the weather or in hospital. We are also always on the look out for drivers."

Pets as therapy

Anyone with a pet knows what a calming effect they can have on the mind and research has shown that close contact with animals can speed up the healing process in patients.

Pets as Therapy (PAT) is a nationwide charity that has over 3,000 volunteers who visit hospitals, residential homes and special schools with their temperament-assessed cats and dogs. The animals provide the brand of companionship and unconditional love that only a caring pet can bring.

The PAT animals also visit people who feel isolated and lonely in the community giving them the chance to cuddle and chat to an animal.

Three thousand dogs and cats of all shapes, sizes and breeds are used as PAT animals. The pet needs to be 'bomb-proof' - in other words, it isn't alarmed by noises or unfamiliar people. The main thing the animals do is sit and get cuddled and caressed.

The animals have been used very successfully in the rehabilitation of stroke patients - holding the animals can help people regain co-ordination and motor skills. The animals have even helped a number of patients regain some speech following a stroke by creating a talking point and jogging the patient's memory about their pets.

If your pet is gentle, calm, loving and craves attention they would be the perfect candidate to become a PAT animal.

But even if you don't have a pet you can still get involved. "People without pets can definitely get involved," says Maureen Hennis, Chief Executive of PAT. "They can be buddied-up with a dog owner, fundraise or generally raise awareness about the organisation."

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