ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO HELP

Question:As a minor, I would like to ask if you have any ideas in how to get involved with shelters in the community if there are age limits for volunteers.  I currently work in a veterinarian's office and would like to get involved in shelter work, but all in the area have age limits; I cannot volunteer if I am under eighteen.  How else can I get involved?

Response:While many shelters do have eighteen and over policies due to liability concerns or insurance policies, the age limits usually concern working with animals and inside shelter facilities. Ask a volunteer coordinator at your local shelter if there is anything else you can do to help that does not involve working with animals or inside shelter facilities. It would be great if you can work with the volunteer coordinator to develop a printed list of ideas for minors just like you who want to help animals but can’t directly volunteer at the shelter!  Please don’t forget that you can take action on your own! Many students just like you have organized pet food drives and fundraisers at their schools to donate to local shelters.  Please also consider starting an animal protection club right at your school to organize events to spread awareness about the plight of animals. When I was in high school, my animal rights club distributed flyers all over the school throughout the Spring semester to encourage folks to spay & neuter their companion animals and adopt animals from our local shelters. My friend Katherine convinced her family to adopt two cats after showing her parents our flyers!   Check out what some other young activists have done for some ideas: www.humaneteen.org