Borrow a dog for an hour or two !!!!

Are you thinking about giving a good home to a dog, or are you a dog lover who because of circumstances can’t give a home to a pet at the moment? Well have you ever thought of giving some of your time to dogs housed in dog shelters? This may not be as crazy as it sounds!!
There are so many dogs out there that are housed in rescue centres, for whatever reason. Your time could help improve the lives of these canine inmates, if you are interested but are not quite sure where or how to start, one idea may be for you to adopt one of the dogs. If this is out of the question then I have a number of suggestions you may wish to consider; read on.

A good idea to start with would be to visit one of your local animal shelters and spend some time with the dogs. Taking some time out to be with these canine residents, playing with them or walking them will do wonders for them as well as you. The staff in these shelters are normally over worked and to say the least they do not have enough time to play and have fun with the dogs. The shelter worker can always do with a little extra help, they will be pleased to show you round and suggest ways in which you can help. As a volunteer you can socialize with the dogs and give them a little e extra pampering. Simply brushing their coats or taking them for a walk around the block will improve their well being.

I know another lady who takes dogs into her home – rather like a doggie foster parent you might say. She gives a home to a rescue dog until a permanent home can be found for the dog. What a great idea. This helps the dog get used to home life again, a half way house you could say but it seems to work well for both parties. You just can’t beat socialisation can you?

I know one volunteer who takes a dog to obedience classes, this will greatly improve their chance of future adoption. Behaviour problems are the single biggest reason for dogs being given up in the first place – a dog that is trained has a much better chance of finding a good home.

A number of people hold local fundraising events and then donate the funds raised to the local rescue organisation. Donations of goods are also useful :- Blankets, food and treats, collars, leashes, toys – even kennels have been donated in the past.

Help with washing and grooming the dogs before taking them to an adoption fair is a very useful way of showing support and helping out.

Inform people about all upcoming dog adoptions and fairs and by being a shelter volunteer try placing an ad in your local paper or putting up flyers on bulletin boards or at dog parks.

There is one more thought I would like you to bear in mind – one of the best ways to help prevent overcrowding in dog shelters and rescue centres is to “Spay or Neuter” your pets, you can also help by spreading the word about the advantage of doing this. Any of these methods can help ease the overcrowding in the worlds dog shelters and rescue centres. remember a small amount of your time can make a great deal of difference to the lives of our canine friends