What do 13 year olds do if they volunteer at a local animal shelter?

Answer 1

usually a volunteer will be asked to clean out kennels, orcattery's sometimes prepare food for the animals. Mainly tasks that don't need expertise.

If any chores needing to be done need expertise, the volunteer will usually watch, or be taught prior to the chore being undertaken (example:a dog being given a worming solution which has to be measured according to dogs weight.)

In animal shelters there is always a quarantine area. No volunteers should undertake any work ininside the quarantine area due to barrier care used.

Barrier care is a specialised care routine, to ensure that disease is not spread.

I would advise the parents of the 13 year old to check the animal shelter out first prior to their child attending, just to make sure that you are totally aware of what your child will be doing there.

It is also important for you or your child to understand that working in an animal shelter isn't always fun... there are cruelty cases being looked after and bought into the shelter. The volunteer may witness distressed and very poorly and malnourished animals which can be quite traumatic to see if your not used to it.

Never the less though, it is a very rewarding job, and is very enjoyable if you are an animal lover, and you want to make a difference to an animals life. Working in an aniamal shelter is very educating, and may lead onto other job prospects if the volunteer in confident in what they do.

Good luck xx