Model Volunteering Program: Ventura County Animal Services in Camarillo, Calif., and the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter in Divide, Colo.

The Challenge

Let’s face it: Whether your agency takes in 100 or 10,000 pets a year, it can be difficult to get to know and advocate for each individual dog, cat, rabbit or other pet. It’s not uncommon for one person (or just a few people) to feed, clean and care for dozens of different pets throughout the day. When a prospective adopter comes along, the person on duty is tasked with knowing as much as possible about each pet – and each breed or species of pet. Just imagine the animal care attendant who works with large dogs suddenly being questioned about caring for the young Angora rabbit over in cage R-16. You get the picture.

The Solution

Ventura County Animal Services created The Bunny Brigade – a group of shelter volunteers who are dedicated only to the shelter’s rabbit population. Similarly, at the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter, Team Cat is made up of volunteers who are dedicated only to the cats. At both shelters, having a core group of volunteers that focuses on a specific type of pet allows the volunteers to become experts about the pets in their care – collectively and individually.

• The volunteers clean, feed and nurture each pet. They also groom, train and play with the pets, keeping them healthy, happy and stimulated.
• The volunteers know each pet’s likes, dislikes and unique personalities – a huge bonus in helping them find the ideal new home.
• The volunteers also know right away if a specific cat or rabbit is getting sick or needs a change of venue, such as transfer to foster care.

Mary Steinbeiser at the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter explains that each member of Team Cat not only understands how to care for cats, but also knows every individual cat and his or her needs and nuances.

At the Ventura County Animal Services shelter, The Bunny Brigade runs the rabbit program. The volunteers feed, tame and train all the rabbits and take the bunnies to adoption events. When a bunny is adopted, he or she goes home with an adoption information packet and the number to the Bunny Brigade’s “bunny counselor hotline.”

“In the eight months the Bunny Brigade has been in operation, 140 bunnies have been adopted or transferred to foster homes and fewer than eight have been euthanized,” said the agency’s Monica Nolan. “During the same period last year, only 75 bunnies were adopted and more than 90 had to be euthanized because of lack of interest for adoption or lack of space.”

The Results?

More adoptions or foster-home placements and fewer cats and rabbits euthanized! Thanks to the Bunny Brigade and Team Cat, rabbits and kitties are getting excellent care that meets their individual needs. Prospective adopters are not only getting their questions answered by experts, but also getting assistance with finding the rabbit or cat who is the perfect match. The shelters enjoy top-notch assistance at no extra cost to them and without requiring even more work from staff members who are already spread thin. And, the volunteers benefit as well – finding fulfillment and their rightful places in the shelter environment.

“By inviting and encouraging the volunteers to use their skills at the shelter, to grow in their own abilities and to participate in the long range planning of our cat room,” says Steinbeiser, “these individuals have found a place to invest their time and talents and receive the respect and acknowledgement they deserve.”