Volunteer at the Animal shelter By: Brooke Coldiron

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            Volunteers at the Menifee County Animal Shelter contribute a lot of time and effort to the shelter. Without these volunteers, the shelter wouldn't be as functional as it is.

            Volunteers work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A volunteer's day consists of helping or keeping the shelter stay clean. When the volunteers get there, they put on gloves, and clean the cat cages. When cleaning the cages the volunteers put fresh water, food, bedding, newspaper and kitty litter it the cages.  Then, after all the cages are clean, they give cats a little treat for being a loving pet.

After all the care taking of the animals is completed, the volunteers sweep and mop the floors and clean up any mess. Then, if they have any extra time, they help Renee and Diana, the lead volunteers, out with anything needed.

            Renee Nichols and Diana McGuire have been working the animal shelter for about five years. Diana is the acting Executive Director/ Treasurer and Renee is a volunteer. They keep the cats and dogs' shots up to date, fill out any paper work, and find animals that have been hurt or neglected.

          Sometimes Renee lets volunteer's foster puppies because there isn't enough room for all of them. Volunteers foster them for about a week. They know what these animals have been through, and they want to help.

The stray animals are picked up in Menifee County, and companion animals are picked up from their previous owner who turns them over.  Usually the owner turns them over because they have moved and can't take the animal with them or they just have too many animals and can't take care of them properly.

Volunteers keep the animals until Renee and Diana get them adopted at the shelter or they transport them to rescues in other states if a good pet owner isn't found for them in Menifee County. Some of the animals have been with us for some time; others only stay for a few days.  

 Renee and Diana also "transport" some of the animals.  Transporting is sending the dogs to rescues that help adopt the animals that don't get adopted in Menifee County.

Volunteering at the animal shelter isn't known for being the most fun thing to do. But helping out these poor animals can make a difference.

 If you would like to be a sponsor and help the animal shelter by donating food, beding, or money for taking animals to the vet or things the shelter needs, or come and volunteer,  If you would like to help call the animal shelter at (768-9368).