Animal shelter and rescue volunteers play an essential role in providing care to animals in need, sometimes being the reason these animals even survive. These passionate, giving individuals dedicate their time, energy, and even resources to ensure that animals receive the love, attention, and care they need to thrive.
Our team at Pet Cremation Services understands the importance of these volunteers and wants to celebrate their efforts. Here are a few ideas on how to ensure volunteers at your local animal shelter and rescue know that they are appreciated.
- Host a Volunteer Appreciation Event – Invite your volunteers and board members to an event to recognize and celebrate their hard work and dedication to your organization. This could be a catered breakfast, potluck, BBQ, or even a virtual event. Have fun with it!
- Share Their Stories and Reasons For Choosing To Give To Your Organization – Share their ‘why’. Tell stories and include photos of your volunteers in your social media communities, via email, or on your website. Highlight their contributions and the impact they have made on the animals at your shelter or in your rescue.
- Write Personal Thank-You Notes – One of the easiest and most personal ways to honor your volunteers and volunteer board members is to write a handwritten thank-you note to express your gratitude for their support.
- Present Annual Awards – Consider presenting awards to volunteers who have made significant contributions, such as the most hours volunteered, or the most creative fundraiser. Take this a step further and invite your community to share in the presentation of the award and post photos of the volunteer and award on your social media pages.
- Provide Training – Offer training opportunities to help your volunteers develop new skills and expand their knowledge. This could include animal handling, basic medical care, or fundraising techniques.
- Give Them a Voice: This is important! Allow your volunteers the opportunity and the forum to share their thoughts and ideas to make the organization stronger and to better serve pets and pet communities. Listen to their feedback, and consider implementing their suggestions to improve your animal shelter or rescue operations.
By honoring your volunteers, you can help to build a strong sense of community and create a positive impact on the lives of animals in your care – and hopefully, get even more volunteer support for your organization.
While the American Humane Society estimates that more than 10 million dogs and cats are reported lost each year, a greater number of microchipped pets are returned to their owners than those that are not microchipped. Read about Microchip Awareness Month.
