Rspca Volunteering?

[HugUrPup]

I am considering doing volunteer work at the RSPCA. I'm hoping to get some experience before looking for part time paid work as either a vest assistant or something else of the sort (even working for the council at the local pound maybe).

For those who have done this, was is rewarding? Did you gain many skills? How highly do you recommend it?

[PossumCorner]

A few years ago I did weekly volunteering at Burwood for a while. I wouldn't say you learn anything new, or that it is useful experience. But you can always talk it up on a CV. There was a lot of cleaning/hosing kennels, putting fresh bedding down, washing bedding, feeding, walking dogs, minimal grooming, walking on lead, brief off-lead time supervised in the fenced yard for some dogs. Same care routine for all dogs there, whether just found or surrendered, or paying boarders (tail-waggers).

Satisfying: yes, individual dogs so grateful for attention. Supervising staff grateful for volunteer assistance. Met some wonderful people, didn't get caught up in the anti-politics-gossip-misinformation-justified criticism, all that. Just got on with it. It's all about the dogs (or cats or rabbits) and again there were excellent caring people to work with/work for. It can be fast-paced and full-on to get everything done if they are short-staffed, and you will go home very much needing a shower.

Definitely recommend it - you get more out of it on various levels than you put into it. That applies to most volunteering I think.

If you wish to do volunteering to gain skills, Puffing Billy always need people: and to be honest you would gain more skills there that are useful for further job-seeking: more administrative and think-work and training are available there than at RSPCA. (And engine-cleaning if you prefer to combine hands on). Any kind of volunteering is good on your resume - prospective employers like the fact that you know how to work, and it gives you something to refer to in reply to interview questions with their ludicrous hypotheticals.

RSPCA didn't at that time have volunteers helping in the vet surgery at all. And there was no handling of dogs by volunteers in any of the pts areas. There were opportunites to do basic training to work in their large op-shop in the shops across the road. So you could add basic retail skills to your CV if you do that.

[RiverStar-Aura]

I've heard that getting a position as a vet nurse/assistant is quite hard as there are actually few positions available. Don't let that put you out though!

Volunteering at the RSPCA isn't something I'd be emotionally equipped to deal with as I'd want to take all the animals home with me -- I have enormous empathy for all animals I've recently found out and anything remotely sad makes me bawl for weeks!

Have you thought about taking in a guide dog or assistance dog puppy for training? That's something highly rewarding.

But give it a go, I think it's great that you're willing to say yes to volunteering (even if it is just for starters!). Hope you find what you're looking for!!

[Guest Ams]

I volunteer at my local RSPCA in the vet clinic. There is a lot of cleaning pens, changing bedding type stuff to start with but if you stay long enough you will earn their trust and then you start assisting the vets. I have learnt heaps in the two years I have been there. Some days all I do is fetch and carry, other days I am hands on with the patients, helping with drips, bandaging, clipping etc.

Most shelters won't allow volunteers in the pts area and my shelter is the same. I have held animals as they are pts in the vet surgery though. These are usually the ones who are pts on humane grounds.

I have been there for several of the big raid intakes and have worked 16 hour days processing and treating the animals, setting up pens, cages, etc.

Other days it is down right boring as the patients are all stable so there is nothing to do. I was looking at getting into vet nursing but now I run a rescue so have used the knowledge gained to help me there. I couldn't earn enough as a vet nurse to keep the rescue going so have decided to keep my day job and do the rescue and volunteer work as a hobby.

You may like to contact the AIRC about their Companion Animal Courses as these are pre-requisites I think for vet nurse courses. The staff are very helpful and the workload is not onerous.

[HugUrPup]

Thanks for the replies, I'll look into puffing billy and the courses ;)

[Shaar]

I have sent off 4 applications over the past year or so and never heard back from them... that kinda peeved me off, you would think they would want as many volunteers as they can get. And if they don't check their online applications don't bother having the forms on there.

I'd love to do just dog walking, at least it gest the dogs some extra attention but would also be happy to do grooming for them.

Oh well... their loss I guess.

[HugUrPup]

Shaar you need to go to the seminar and then do the 30 minute interview while you are there. Does your local RSPCA have a seminar date?

[Shaar]

Not that I know of, I went into the actual shelter and they just told me to fill out the forms online. How would I go about finding out, should I just call them?

[Little Gifts]

I used to volunteer one sunday a month at my local RSPCA. For the first few months I had a great routine in place of cleaning and feeding then playing with the puppies and when they fell asleep I'd go help out with what still needed to be done with the larger dogs. Then things changed and I wasn't allowed to feed the pups (not just me - all volunteers included) but the workers were never available and the pups would be crying for food and I would be wandering around without anything to do. I never understood the change as it benefited the pups and the workers. I always followed the instructions for feeding very carefully (they were subject to change) and monitored poos and vomits and let the workers know of any concerns for specific dog or pens. Eventually I stopped putting myself on the roster and got involved in another volunteer activity/organisation.

Each RSPCA will run slightly differently so you will need to give it a try and see if it is fulfilling enough for you and what you want to do. Why not also consider volunteering at a local vet hospital or larger surgery?

[Guest Willow]

I volunteered as a kennel assistant at the Perth shelter. I loved it. LOVED it. I worked my arse off. It didn't go unnoticed. A position as a (paid) shelter assistant came up, and I was nominated by the girl who was leaving. I worked there for two years, and it remains, to this day, the best job I ever had.

I left after 2 years to pursue my vet nuring career, however.

I returned to work for the RSPCA in a different capacity as a dog trainer 4 years later (again, I was asked, I did not apply)

Anyway, my point is, you never know where it will lead. I volunteered once a week which led to employment, which led me to vet nursing, which led me to dog training. It opened a LOT of doors to me and I made a lot of contacts that I wouldn't otherwsie have had.

I also ended up with two cats out of it also!!!

[Natsu chan]

Puggerup lot's of places and orgs need helpers! If it's dogs particularly then the kennel clubs, breed rescues, obedience clubs etc need assistance all the time. Everything from helping out in the library at KCC to stewarding or helping out with the dogs themselves. Puffing billy is great if you go that way pm me as I know someone who's been involved with PB for a long time and I'm sure he could help you out.

If nothing else volunteering is good for the soul and without all the volunteers who help out Australia would be in trouble.

[aussielover]

I volunteered at the RSPCA a few years ago before you had to have an interview and attend training. I loved it. The animals were so grateful for the attention, but it was extremely sad and depressing sometimes

[mackiemad]

watch the vic website for when they are doing intakes of new vollies. then you apply, go to a seminar (to make sure that you understand you'll be doing a lot of cleaning or dog walking etc) then they interview you to make sure you are a sensible normal person.

you can volunteer in the vet clinic (they are hard possies to get but during kitten season they put on extra vollies), shelter, cattery, pretty much anywhere. once in the system you can often move around as well. so if you start off in kennels and you realise you actually hate walking the dogs then you can ask to be moved to cattery or vet clinic when they have an opening...