Glory - Rescued from a Puppy Mill
November 6 – 12 is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. On Tuesday, November 8th, the People Saving Pets™ social movement is launching Volunteer Action Day! People Saving Pets™ is a social movement, empowered by PetSmart Charities®, and dedicated to saving the lives of adoptable pets and solving the homeless pet problem by uniting pet lovers and inspiring local action.
I’ve told wonderful stories about shelter workers and volunteers that help improve the lives of shelter dogs. I am always inspired by all of the volunteers I come across that devote their heart and soul to helping homeless animals. Some are trainers, some provide welcoming foster care until the rescue pets get adopted, and others are shelter volunteers, doing whatever needs to be done.
I recently spoke with some very dedicated shelter and rescue volunteers. Mary McIver has been volunteering for Great Lakes Mini Schnauzer Rescue in Livonia, MI for nearly seven years. I asked her what inspires her to volunteer.
“I enjoy matching the dogs with their forever families. Originally, I thought I was doing it to help dogs, but I now realize how much people are also affected. We had one dog who was really quite ugly, named Shirley. She was a schnauzer mix, rescued from a shelter. She was with me a couple months and I thought no one would want her. A man came from out of town to meet her. His companion had just died, and she had gone everywhere with him in his motor home. He was lost without her. I suggested he take my foster, Shirley for a walk to see how they would do together. Both of them lit up and the bounce came back to both of their steps!!”
Kathi Schofield has volunteered for five years with the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society. She’s been everything from a canine walker in adoptions to a humane educator. Here’s what she had to say about her dedication to her volunteer work…
“It is incredibly rewarding to spend time with such loving and fun-loving souls! Dogs are such honest creatures, and I always feel honored to be able to share in their lives. When playing, they share such true joy in the moment; when needing to be loved, they’re incredibly loving in return. Even those who have had such difficult lives inspire me by their ability and willingness to learn to trust again. Perhaps the greatest joy for me is to watch a dog’s transition from when they arrive at the shelter as a fearful, neglected and possibly injured dog into a happy, loving companion going home with his or her forever family. For me, there is no greater joy than to help such beautiful souls along the path of their life’s journey.”
Personally, many years ago before I even had a dog, I volunteered at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally, I walked the dogs and played with the cats. Then once I adopted a dog, I volunteered in the education department and brought my Golden Retriever, Byron to schools to educate students in the benefits of spay and neuter and providing good health care for pets.
These days my volunteerism for shelters is devoted to donating music to shelters and rescues. When Through a Dog’s Ear was originally launched in 2008, we immediately implemented a program to help put the clinically tested music into the ears of shelter and rescue dogs. It calms the canine nervous system, helps reduce barking, and creates a quieter shelter environment that helps increase adoption rates. I’ve personally addressed and sent hundreds of donated Through a Dog’s Ear CD’s to shelters and rescues. This week, thanks to a partnership with Adopt-A-Pet and the support of a corporate sponsor, the music is being sent to an additional thousand shelters.
Watch how the dogs at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society respond to Through a Dog’s Ear music.
97% of animal welfare organizations utilize volunteers. These volunteers help keep administrative costs down, allowing the organizations to use funds toward the care of the adoptable pets — to include providing spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, food and so much more. Are you interested in taking the first step toward helping your local animal welfare organization by learning about available opportunities in your area and signing up to volunteer? These infographics show how volunteers help animal welfare organizations and what to expect when you volunteer to help pets.
Do you already volunteer at your local shelter or rescue? Or do you help homeless animals in another way? Thanks for sharing your story in a comment below.
As co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my blog readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.
- Concert Pianist
- Juilliard Graduate
- Canine Music Expert
- Co-Founder 
I’M ONLY 81 YEARS OLD & WE HAVE ALWAYS TURNED OUR RADIO ON “SOFT MUSIC FOR OUR DOGS” PRIOR TO LEAVING OUR HOUSE FOR ANYTHING”, GOING TO THE STORE, CHURCH & ETC.. WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP, WE LIVED NEAR A DAIRY & THE OWNER OF THIS DAIRY TOLD US THAT HE KEPT SOFT MUSIC PLAYING WHEN HE WAS MILKING HIS COWS. HE STATED THE COWS GAVE MORE MILK IF THE SOFT MUSIC WAS PLAYING. SEMPER FI, fred