Believe it or not, some people willingly spend time cleaning litter boxes, teaching rambunctious puppies good manners, holding cats during medical procedures, walking dogs, teaching frightened cats to trust people, scooping dog poop, bottle feeding tiny kittens every few hours, reading with pets and kids at schools, and holding leashes at adoption events. Oh, and they don’t get paid (unless you count tail wags, puppy kisses, or purrs). These are the noble, loving, generous species known as volunteers. They come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and talents, but they all have one thing in common. They want to make the world a better place- one pet at a time.

Here at Second Chance, we depend on our volunteers. The animals come to love them and look forward to the time they spend with us, and the staff loves them too. We have dog den volunteers (who get to enjoy the beautiful ranch when they walk the dogs), cat castle crew (who enjoy a good purr), foster families (for pets who need a more home-like environment or extra care), medical clinic helpers (with steady hands and strong character), event folks (who like to fundraise or talk to other humans while helping pets find homes), thrift shop workers (who sort and sell generous donations that help us pay the bills), and even people who help with things like thank you notes, spreadsheets, and databases.

We wondered what motivates our amazing volunteers who step forward to do these jobs for us, so we asked a few.

One volunteer who especially enjoys events says, “I love seeing the animals get new homes, and seeing the joy a new animal brings to a family.” Another of our friends who enjoys walking our dogs says, “I love giving back to the community and sharing my love of animals. I also just love helping out the hard-working staff at the shelter.”

When our residents find their homes, other pets take their places, creating a constant need for good helpers. We always need more people to step up. A good volunteer should be flexible (you can’t predict what might happen each day) and caring (obviously). A good sense of humor helps a lot, as well as strong integrity, patience, and commitment to serving.

Pepe is a 1.5-year-old Heeler mix looking for his forever home. He loves to adventure, play, and cuddle! Right now, he is spending time in a foster home with one of our wonderful volunteers, Kayla.

Since 1994, the Animal Resource Center and the Shops of Second Chance Humane Society have been dedicated to serving animals in Southwestern Colorado. Our adoption hours are every day from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We are located at 177 County Rd 10, Ridgway, CO. You can view our shelter pets and services online at secondchancehumane.org.