Points on Pets

Volunteering D uring COVID

Over the last 2 1/2 years, animal service organizations around the world have stepped up to meet the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with help from millions of devoted professional staff and dedicated volunteers.

ough many U.S. shelters and rescues cut back on their public hours to meet CDC guidelines, they continued to adopt animals out to pet lovers. And they still o er ongoing care for all their animals, day in day out.

Just as animal rescue groups face even greater strains on their sta ng, nances, logistics, and supplies, many folks who love pets still want to help. If you volunteer during this pandemic, what options do you have, and what should you be aware of?

Animal Rescues Are inking Outside the Box e unprecedented use of virtual meetings and events and online training since March 2020 has helped many animal rescues manage tasks from training sta and volunteers to fundraising and marketing. Rescues have adapted their volunteer o erings, from asking pet lovers to come in and comfort their animals during Fourth of July celebrations, to running fundraisers (even galas) online using virtual resources, to nding new ways to pair dog walkers with potential pets who need exercise.

Check on your local rescue websites for their current volunteer opportunities, which may keep evolving along with the pandemic. Most organizations will ask you to ll out an application form online and interview or attend an orientation and training sessions, virtually and/or in person. Some kinds of volunteer work that involve contact with children or special-needs groups might require further training and a background check. Much of the latter can be done online, except for in-person interviewing and ngerprinting.

COVID-19 Information About Pets

What You Should Know about COVID-19 and Pets Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov

COVID-19: Protect Animals by Planning for Their Care American Veterinary Medical Association avma.org

Selected Alexandria and Metro DC Animal Shelters/Rescues

Animal Welfare League of Alexandria 4101 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304 703-838-4774 http://alexandriaanimals.org/

Animal Welfare League of Arlington 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive Arlington, VA 22206 (703) 931-9241 www.awla.org

Fairfax County Animal Shelter 4500 West Ox Road Fairfax, VA 22030 703-830-1100 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/animalshelter/

Fostering and Ongoing Pet Care Are Always in Demand

One of the most promising improvements in animal rescue since 2020 has been the boom in fostering of potential pets nationwide. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have stepped up to Friends of Rabbits and House Rabbit Sanctuary P.O. Box 1112 Alexandria, VA 22313 703-627-7892 www.friendsofrabbits.org/

King Street Cats 25 S. Dove Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-231-7199 www.kingstreetcats.org/

Operation Paws for Homes, Inc. (Dog rescue for VA, MD, DC, and south central PA) P.O. Box 90813 Alexandria, VA 22309 703-344-7320 ophrescue.org/

Pet Partners® (Nationwide network of therapy-animal programs, including Germantown, MD) Bellevue, WA 98005 425-679-5500, M–F petpartners.org

Rikki’s Refuge Animal Sanctuary (1300 animals and 22 species on 450 acres) Kerry Hilliard, Director P.O. Box 1357 Orange, VA 22960 540-854-0870 www.rikkisrefuge.org

foster animals when shelters were short of sta ng and nancial resources. is demand and its many rewards won’t end a er the pandemic. Consider talking with your local animal rescue about how you and your household could become a foster family on their roster of reliable humans. ey will train

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