How is volunteering at animal shelters saving lives?

Question

People say too many animals are being put to sleep and tell us how we can stop that and one of the things they said that we can start volunteering. How does that stop the shelter from killing the animals?

Answer 1

Because you learn about what goes on there and you tell your friends and family and you spread the word that neutering/spaying is the best thing to do to control the pet population.  PLus, just being in that situation makes you more aware of what is going on with animals in this world and would probably cause you to act in other ways.

Answer 2

Volenteering at animal shelters means to adopt for an animal for a while till its got a home, And to make way for new animals to come into the shelter and therefor gives animals a better chance

Answer 3

Thousands of animals are euthanised simply for want of a home. Many pet animals (dogs, cats, rabbits etc) all suffer from overpopulation - there are more animals than there are homes available.

Many people think it is unacceptable to kill animals simply because they are unwanted - especially as it is we humans who are responsible for allowing them to breed and become overpopulated in the first place!

Shelters and rescues etc that take in and try to rehome unwanted animals are usually charities - they do not recieve government funding. They rely entirely on donations.

To rescue, care for and then rehome animals takes a lot of time, space and money. The more of these things you have, the more animals you can help.

Currently, most shelters are at full capacity and can not take in any more animals. Some are "kill shelters". Here, the animals that come in are given a time limit (eg 2 weeks) in which to find a new home, otherwise they are put to sleep to make room for new animals. "No-kill shelters" keep the animals until they are rehomed, as long as it takes. However, this means they are usually full and have to turn new animals away. (These may then be dumped or killed instead).

As well as money, and facilities, shelters and rescues also need an army of "staff". These include animal carers, as well as receptionists, rehomers, homecheckers, maintenence, cleaners, etc. Without all these people doing the work, the shelter simply could not exist. As they rely on donations, many places can't afford to employ paid staff - so they need volunteers.

So in short.... without volunteers the shelters would not be able to help so many animals, or may even have to close.

If your local shelter needs volunteers you will therefore be directly involved in saving animals.

Answer 4

If they don't kill it because it's sick or space issues, it's because the shelter simply cannot take care of that many animals. It's sad, but true.

So by volunteering, you're helping take care of the animals for free and there is less chance that they will need to kill the animals...

Answer 5

It helps save lives because when the shelter has more people volunteering, the have more help caring for the animals, and therefore don't have to put as many animals down.

Another thing that helps to save animals lives is when you spay/neuter your pet. We already have millions of animals that need homes and when we spay/neuter, then at least we're not adding to the problem.

Answer 6

Many shelters rescue animals by taking them from a kill shelter and having volunteers foster the animals until they can be adopted and placed with a family. This can save many animal lives!

Also volunteering time and money to shelters helps give them the ability to continue providing service to animals who would otherwise be put down.

Answer 7

Have you given it much thought? O_o

With more people volunteering and helping out, there are more hands to help feed and walk the animals and care for them. Having volunteers also helps with socializing the animals. Some people will even tell their friends who need a pet, and more will get adopted rather than being euthanized.

Answer 8

By voluteering, you are giving more care to the shelters. When more shelters are having more workers, the pound gets less dogs, (Because the shelter takes them all) See, when you voluteer, you don't get payed. And that money that normally pays workers go to the dogs and pets. Keeping them alive!