Volunteer at Your Local Shelter
Volunteer at your local animal shelter by helping feed and groom pets, walk dogs with an adult, and make cozy bedding or toys.
Step-by-step guide to volunteer at your local animal shelter
Animal Shelter | Virtual Field Trip | KidVision Pre-K
Step 1
Ask an adult to call or email your local animal shelter to set a volunteer time.
Step 2
Put on comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes.
Step 3
Go to the shelter with your adult at the agreed time.
Step 4
Check in with shelter staff and tell them you are there to volunteer.
Step 5
Ask the staff which tasks you can help with today.
Step 6
Listen carefully to the shelter staff's instructions.
Step 7
Wash your hands with soap and water before handling animals or food.
Step 8
Fill food bowls using the amount the staff shows you.
Step 9
Gently brush a pet's fur in the direction it grows while staff watches.
Step 10
Walk a dog while your adult holds the leash and follows the shelter's rules.
Step 11
Lay an old T-shirt or piece of fleece flat on a table.
Step 12
Cut fringes along the short edges of the fabric using scissors.
Step 13
Tie matching fringe strips together around the edges to make a soft mat for bedding.
Step 14
Clean up your workspace and put used materials away where the staff asks.
Step 15
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have an old T-shirt, fleece, or scissors for making the bedding mat?
Use a clean towel, pillowcase, or cut-up sheet as the fabric and ask shelter staff for scissors or pre-cut strips to follow the 'Lay an old T-shirt or piece of fleece' and 'Cut fringes' steps.
What should we do if the fringe knots on the mat keep coming undone or the strips are uneven?
Trim strips to equal widths before tying and secure each matching fringe with a double knot, then have staff inspect the mat as in the 'Tie matching fringe strips together' step.
How can we adapt the volunteer tasks for younger children or older kids during the shelter visit?
Have younger children do supervised tasks like 'Fill food bowls' and help 'Lay an old T-shirt' or tie a few knots, while older kids can 'Walk a dog while your adult holds the leash' and lead the mat-making and 'Share your finished creation on DIY.org' step.
How can we personalize or improve the bedding mat before sharing it on DIY.org?
Personalize the soft mat by using colorful T-shirts, adding a small sewn-on pocket or fabric paint name during the 'Tie matching fringe strips together' step, then photograph the finished creation to 'Share your finished creation on DIY.org.'
Watch videos on how to volunteer at your local animal shelter
An honest interview with Animal Shelter Volunteers (feat. SOSD)
3 Videos
An honest interview with Animal Shelter Volunteers (feat. SOSD)
What's It Like Volunteering At An Animal Shelter!!!
Volunteering at an Animal Shelter!
Facts about animal care and shelter volunteering
✂️ Regular brushing and gentle grooming helps prevent matting and skin problems and keeps pets feeling comfortable.
❤️ Volunteering with animals can boost mood, reduce stress, and teach responsibility—plus it’s a fun way to help your community.
🐾 Around 6.3 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters in the United States every year, so caring volunteers make a big difference.
🐶 Dogs that get regular walks and social time at a shelter are calmer and often become more adoptable.
🧸 Simple handmade toys and cozy bedding made from old t-shirts or fleece are inexpensive, washable, and loved by shelter pets.
How do I volunteer at my local animal shelter with my child?
What materials do I need to volunteer at an animal shelter?
What ages is volunteering at an animal shelter suitable for?
What are the benefits and safety tips for volunteering with kids at a shelter?
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