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Walk dogs~ Getting out of the cage, getting some exercise, and some extra love, are all things that help them get adopted. |
Clean cages~ Its hard to have love at first site when a cage is messy. We try to clean the cages several times a day to make sure the oder is under control, and the animal is happy. |
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Brush kittys~ The shelter environment can be very stressful to a kitty, and it cause them to shed, bushing the cats will help them not only adjust, but be more pleasant when a potential adopter gets them from their cages. |
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Sweeping the parking lot~ Unfortunately people find it amusing to break bottles around our shopping center. We have had a case where we were walking a dog at night and she stepped on a piece of glass. after removing the glass and dressing the wound, we decided that we were going to have to start sweeping glass around the center. |
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Laundry~ We always have so much laundry. We currently don't have a place at RePets to do laundry so we have to do it at the shelter. So we either need help do the laundry at the shelter or folding the laundry we just got back from the shelter. |
Sterilize the van~ We transport daily, and in order to keep germs under control we have to keep the crates in the van clean too. Every once in a while the outside of the van needs a wash too. |
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Training and socializing~ From leash training to learning to trust. There is always a animal that needs some extra love and attention in order to make them more adoptable. Anything we can do with these fur babies helps place animals! |
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Foster homes~ Our critters sometimes come in pregnant, abused or neglected and they need to go in to foster care till they are ready for adoption. |
Welcome to the world of rescuing shelter animals! We are glad your interested in working with us in our efforts to save lives. Here is a few things you might want to know.....
How does this work?
There is several different ways or reasons you could transport rescued animals. The most common one is what we call a leg transport. This is where we rescue or transport animals from far away shelters or situations sending them to rescues or forever homes by gathering groups of wonderful volunteers to help transport them to their destinations. Thru email we communicate who can be at designated meeting places to carry animals from one "LEG" to the next. Most legs are one hour or less drive and usually meet at an exit, or restaurant where there is plenty room to let the dogs take a potty break and get some water before getting in to the next vehicle.
How many animals is on a transport?
Every transport is different, there could be just one sweet puppy or 36 wonderful dogs. Email will always include the number of animals and ask for how many animals each driver and handle so we have enough drivers at each location.
What supplies do I need to bring?
It is suggested that you have with you...... Crates, Leashes, jugs of fresh cool water, bowls, treats, Plastic bags for when poo happens Towels or blankets ~ warmth or making privacy for scared dogs Baby wipes for messy paws, AND........ Antibacterial gel or wipes for the humans
Is there anything that transports with the animals?
Yes! Each animal should come with paperwork. Some will have special instructions, medications, and on occasion even their favorite toys or bed.
Will I ever have to take an animal home?
Most of our transports are all completed same day. However there are cases on longer transports that there would be a need for a sleep over. Email will state when animals will need to be over nighted.
Is there anything thing I should be aware of?
There is a few preventative things and helpful hints every transporter should practice.
1) Shelter dogs are not like our dogs at home. They are sometimes confused and scared or so happy to be out of a cage and around people that care about them they may act a little different. Its always best to handle them knowing anything could happen, bring extra love for them, and don't allow dogs that don't know each other very well to cage or walk together.
2) Puppies taken to shelters are hardly ever up to date on vaccines therefore we have to be careful that we don't spread PARVO. Never mix litters, don't put puppies on the ground, and sanitize hands between handling litters. If you have puppies at home, be careful with your clothes, shoes and skin that's been exposed to shelter puppies. We also recommend putting puppies in crates and bleaching them after the transport to prevent spreading Parvo as well.
3) Communicate anything strange you might notice.
*** If you see that 2 dogs don't like each other then tell the next leg for safety reasons.
*** If you notice someone not feeling well, we would want to try and separate them from the rest of the dogs.
*** If there is a fear biter in the bunch, we all need to know
*** If there is a scared dog or a dog that likes to ride in a lap, then that just makes for a happy trip for the dog and the human.
4) Be very aware of time changes and make sure everyone your communicating with is on the same time zone or understands that your not. Legs that are late throw the whole transport off. Keep an eye on your email on the day of the transport to watch for time changes, and anything an animal on the transport might need.
5) Meet and greet other transporters, make contacts and life long friends! Make sure you get names, numbers and email because if there is ever a leg that we cant fill, you may have a contact that you can forward our transport plea email to and help us fill the transport. All it takes is ONE leg not to fill to have to cancel the transport.
6) Have fun, this is a very rewarding job.... at the end of the day as your laying down to rest... you will know down deep inside that YOU have helped save animals lives because with out our transporters, so many animals would not make it!