By Karin Modig

Every year thousands of animals across the country are left without a home. Some are abandoned, others are rescued from neglect and mistreatment, and some are given up for various personal reasons. Last year alone, the RSPCA re-homed 70,000 animals, and many more were re-homed by other animal charities.

Animal sanctuaries become temporary homes for these animals, while they wait to be re-homed. The centres are dependant on volunteers to keep open, and across the country there are many volunteer opportunities available; from kennel cleaning and guinea pig caring,  to grounds maintenance and reception work.

Fulfilment

For the past seven years, Julie Gierus has been a volunteer at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. One of around 140 volunteers that help the home run smoothly, she spends about 15 hours a week there. Julie started thinking about volunteering when her children grew up, and she felt "a bit redundant".

Being a dog-owner herself, she chose to volunteer with dogs. By own admission, she has "a particular soft spot for the greyhounds", and three times a week she can be seen walking around Battersea with one or two greyhounds in tow. She also spends time in the kennels and does some paperwork. After seven years, she has no intention of giving it up. "I just love it," she says. "I get so much fulfilment and enjoyment from it, and I have never not wanted to go."

There are many abandoned cats that need a bit of TLC as well, and at Cats Protection's North London Cat Shelter, Hayley Beckus is volunteering as a cat socialiser. "I just go in and spend time with the cats, and play with them," she says. Having had cats around when she grew up, she missed having a cat for company when she moved to London. "I live in a flat, and I might go back to South Africa next year, so it is not really possible for me to get a cat at the moment."

Hayley decided to volunteers at the shelter after spotting it from the bus. "I saw the shelter, and I went in and asked if I could help." Now she tries to go in at least once a week and spends an hour or so with the cats. She has been volunteering for about four weeks, and is really enjoying it. The only drawback, she says with a laugh, is that she sometimes comes home "scratched to pieces by the kittens".

Spending time with animals is by no means the only way you can help animal homes. Rachel Holdsworth started as a cat socialiser at the North London Cat Shelter over a year ago, but soon found herself in a different position. "I love cats, and that is why I wanted to be a cat socialiser," she says, "but as soon as the management found out that I work as a web editor, they asked if I could do their website for them."

"I do what's really needed"

Michael Eagleton is a volunteer for the Blue Cross Adoption Centre in Lewknor. Having volunteered for animal charities for years, he says he "prefers animals to people." Although he does some dog walking as "a bit of a sideline", his main responsibility is creating publicity for the centre. Michael mostly works from home, and the hours he works varies from week to week. "I do what is needed really, producing posters, contacting vets and pet shops, and organising fundraising."

Before the centre opened he was busy putting up posters in vet surgeries and pet shops in the area, and since they opened, he has concentrated on fundraising. "We organised some very successful collections in supermarkets and department stores," Michael explains, "and I also arranged a big band concert in aid of the centre."

The hard work has paid off, and many animals have been re-homed quickly. One of Michael's personal favourites, a Jack Russell called Buster, being one of them. "It is quite emotional when they leave," he says, "but it is good to know that we have helped find a good home for them."

It is by no means, only dogs and cats that are being abandoned or rescued. Last year the RSPCA also had to re-home rabbits, horses, snakes, ferrets, and pigs. Cornwall has even got a sanctuary for abandoned monkeys, The Monkey Sanctuary Trust. Although there is no such thing as monkey socialising, there are many other volunteering opportunities available - food preparation, gardening, building and decorating are just some of the jobs you can take on to help the monkeys of Cornwall.

Search the do-it.org.uk database for animal volunteering opportunities in your area.

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