VOLUNTEER | Suzanne Stevenson

Volunteering

You don’t have to have hours of spare time, a house full of space or any special qualifications to make a difference to a rescue dog. Rescue organisations rely on volunteers for all sorts of things, and sometimes the jobs that seem small are the ones that make the biggest difference. Walking a dog, helping at an adoption day, transporting an animal to the vet, folding laundry, taking photographs, updating social media or helping with a fundraiser can all free up valuable time for the people doing the really big work. (RSPCA NSW (https://www.rspcansw.org.au/volunteer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)⁠)

If you have more time and the right circumstances, fostering can be an incredibly rewarding way to help. Giving a dog a safe, temporary home can help them decompress, learn what it’s like to live in a home and, importantly, show potential adopters who they really are. Fostering isn’t for everyone, though, and that’s perfectly okay. You can be just as useful without bringing a dog home with you.

Find the version that fits your life

Think about what you genuinely have to give rather than what you think you should be giving. Maybe you could spare two hours every second Saturday. Perhaps you work from home and could help a rescue with social media or admin. Maybe you’re a photographer, designer, accountant, driver, gardener or good organiser. Rescue groups need those skills too. Some organisations offer flexible, casual or one-off opportunities, while others need regular commitments, so it’s worth asking what they need rather than assuming volunteering has to mean turning up at a shelter every week. (Sydney Pet Rescue (https://www.sydneypetrescue.com.au/volunteer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)⁠).

A few easy ways to start:

The dog-walking volunteer: Take a shelter dog out for some fresh air and a change of scenery. It might be the best part of their week.

The foster fail risk: Take a rescue dog home temporarily. Approach with caution. This particular volunteering opportunity has been known to result in a dog permanently moving into your house.

The behind-the-scenes helper: Help with laundry, cleaning, administration, transport, photography, social media or events. Not glamorous, perhaps, but hugely useful.

The fundraiser: Help organise an event, sell raffle tickets, collect donations or convince your workplace, school or local business to get involved.

The skilled volunteer: Offer whatever you’re good at. Rescues need photographers, designers, writers, marketers, IT people, mechanics, gardeners and plenty of other skills. You don’t have to know how to wrangle a 35-kilo dog to be useful.

And if your life is already completely full, don’t underestimate the little things. Sharing a rescue dog’s adoption post, donating a bag of food, collecting old towels, recommending a rescue to someone looking for a dog or simply talking to people about responsible pet ownership can all help.

The trick is to find something you can realistically keep doing. You don’t need to save every dog. You just need to make life a little better for one of them.

Where to now?

Here are some links to get you started:

NSW

Sydney Dogs and Cats Home: https://sydneydogsandcatshome.org/get-involved/volunteering/

Monika's Doggie Rescue: https://www.doggierescue.com/help-us/

Animal Welfare League: https://awl.org.au/volunteer

RSPCA: https://www.rspcansw.org.au/volunteer/

Dog Rescue Newcastle: https://www.dogrescuenewcastle.com.au/volunteer

VIC

Lort Smith: https://lortsmith.com/volunteering/

Animal Welfare League: https://awl.org.au/volunteer

RSPCA: https://rspcavic.org/get-involved/volunteer