We have interviewed a few of our regular volunteers at the shelter to find out why they decided to give their valuable time to helping Animal Aid.
 Carola Bland
Occupation Primary School Teacher
Suburb of residence Mooroolbark
What year did you start being a volunteer at Animal Aid 2007
What is the reason(s) why you became a volunteer? I wanted to help animals and become more involved in the community
What do you do at Animal Aid? I help in administration during the weekand assist in the Shelter main office reception on Sundays (I am also a partof the emergency response coordination team)
How many hours a month do you volunteer? 12 hours a week
Why do you think people should volunteer? Volunteering is an excellent way to meet other people, give back to humanity and be a bit useful
What is your connection to animals and pets? Have always loved all animals and have owned many cats.
Do you have pets and have you ever adopted from Animal Aid? Adopted my present cat and dog from the Animal Aid. I started at Animal Aid with walking dogs to give myselfan idea of what would be a good dog for me to adopt. |
Jessica Longley
Occupation Registered Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Teacher
Suburb of residence Bayswater North
What year did you start being a volunteer at Animal Aid 2009
What is the reason(s) why you became a volunteer? Because of Animal Aid's involvement and the effect on animals of the Black Saturday Bushfires, I wanted to be able to help the animals in need. I've always wanted to be a foster carer for animals as well.
What do you do at Animal Aid? Depending on work commitments, I spend Mondays evenings with the kittens (settling them down for the night), Wednesday morning with the rabbits (cleaning and feeding). I also foster kittens over the summer months when kitten season is in full swing, as well as fostering rabbits all year round.
How many hours a week or a month do you volunteer? 2 hours a week (September through to May)
Why do you think people should volunteer? Volunteering really makes you grateful for what you have in life, it can change your focuses and give you a better life balance.
Was is your connection to animals and pets? I've always had pets and a keen interest in animal protection and health.
Do you have pets and have you ever adopted from Animal Aid I have fish, frogs and cats. One of our cats is an Animal Aid baby. |
Sarah Hastings
My daughter got me into volunteering at Coldstream as she really loves animals and the work we do there is very rewarding.
At first, I thought it was a great way to fulfil my 12 year old’s community service requirements that are a part of her Christian school's curriculum. A year or 2 later, we are still out walking dogs, cuddling cats and taking home boxes of kittens, sometimes with their mums as the kittens can be a matter of 2 or 3 days old.
This is not a small undertaking as you get very attached to these little souls who all start to develop individual personalities as they grow and explore the world under your watchful care.
You take them off to the vet each week, it's like going to see the maternity health nurse with your baby all over again, you start feeling anxious if your little charges haven't put on the expected weight. So much do you care about these unwanted bundles of fluff you end up syringe feeding every 2 hrs!
We have 2 dogs, our last 2 dogs were both pound puppies, these ones aren't as the kids wanted real puppies that they could see grow up.
Our dogs are now 5 and 3, spoilt, slightly plump, well-loved members of the family. My daughter , who is now 13, in grade 8, adopted a grey rabbit who has a pent house apartment for a hutch, she has taken over our shed.
My daughter insisted her 2 storey hutch was not big enough to allow said bunny room to run around in the cold winter months. The rest of the family are waiting to see if this furry princess will allow us the use of the shed this summer.
I am a Radiographer with a large Imaging company. My husband, who is to be sainted as he puts up with sneezing fits whenever we take in strays, is a IT consultant, working in the city.
My son is 12 in grade 6, and has just started coming to the shelter with us. He loves having kittens and likes thinking up names like Rebel for these tiny, cute visitors.
Everyone should volunteer at some point for something it is a very enriching experience. |
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