Volunteering - Question..

UnknownDreamland · August 2010

So since I'm not able to get a job this year due to time constraints I've decided if I have any free time by October I'd like to volunteer at the animal shelter. I've wanted to volunteer for years but I was too young and my parents refused to do it with me. So now that I'm finally going to be of the age to volunteer, I'm SO excited. Now I've heard some people have transferred fleas and whatnot to their own dogs from volunteering, is this true? Bella is allergic to fleas, she gets horrible rashes and loses hair, but when she had it last year some benadryl cleaned it right up, and I think at that point she wasn't on frontline. She is on frontline and heartworm pills now. Now up here we've been told that fleas aren't really a huge problem up here. Maybe some ticks in the summer time around the camp sites, but they don't see a lot of cases. Obviously due to Bella's allergies and such we'll be keeping up with it regardless. But is there anything else I should keep in mind about dealing with other animals then my own animals at home?

NickelbackLuver · August 2010

I've been working at our shelter for nearly a year now. I'm just now getting training to work with the dogs, but I have been working with cats and small animals instead while I waited to get up for the training. Anyway, I have seen fleas on the rabbits before. I was holding one and I spotted fleas on it. When I get home, I throw my clothes in dirty laundry and run straight to the shower. I don't interact with my dogs or anything. There have been days where I went in there where half the cats are puking and they have runny eyes and noses (like something is going around) so I take no risks with my dogs. I don't know what can be passed from cats to dogs or anything, but, working at the shelter, to me, isnt worth my dogs getting sick. So, I just take precautions and get washed up before I play with my dogs when returning home ;D My dogs are all on frontline anyway, so even if the fleas did get in the home, they wouldn't get very far. My biggest piece of advice... be careful handling animals. My brother got bit by a ferret... that was a hectic day. The shelter made us go to the hospital (which is in the middle of a huge city, and I forgot my GPS that day.. it wasn't fun) where my brother had to get a shot. All over a ferret bite xD My brother lets them get their head next to him... I, on the other hand, handle heads away from myself. Even with the cats. I have been scratched several times, and bit a few times by rambunctious cats (luckily the bites didnt break skin, so it was no big deal) but, from getting those injuries I have learned to keep their faces away from me xD I'm not a cat person, so I guess I was learning cats along the way. I have never owned a cat, and know nothing about them. Had I been with dogs from the start... I'm willing to bet there would have been no issues xD But, have fun! My job is literally cleaning cages when needed, and playing with the animals xD The dog training I'm going for will be so I can walk the dogs

Which, will be my new favorite thing to do there xD

UnknownDreamland · August 2010

I'll definitely change and all that before handling my animals that, thanks! =D And I'll remember about keeping animals heads away from me. x3 I tend to do that anyway with Bella when she's excited because of the whole Auzzy thing, and with my cats(I have 5) the one that lives in my room bites and claws me all the time, she loves to eat faces, so I'm used to all that sort of stuff with kitties, but still, better safe than sorry! Thank you so much! <333

siebs2010 · August 2010

Watch out for Cats. They spread ringworm, a fungus, very very easily. I volunteer/work at a shelter here in my state also and got it. Try not to touch cats with bald spots or their feet and after coming in contact with them make sure you wash your hands and your clothes and everything. Horses also carry it, but cats are like a super high risk for spreading it. You won't even know that you've come in contact with it until weeks later and even then it takes up to six weeks to get rid of. I had to dry it out with clorox water and antifungal cream >.< I actually spread it to my dog, Sadie, and it's pretty costly for shampoo and cream from the vet and everything. And I'm not sure if the shelter gives all the animals shots or whatnot, but a watch for parvo and everything like that very closely. Age does not matter when it comes down to parvo. I've saved two dogs from "parvo". A puppy I rescued myself and a red nose pitt bull. One day the dog will be perfectly fine, and the next they'll be severely dehydrated and won't eat. Best thing to do? Force feed water and food with a syringe with no needle. I won't go into detail, but if that ever happens and you can't get to a vet you can pm me and I can try and help you. I can't guarantee anything but.. what I did seemed to work. Also. Cats again. Always check their eyes and noses for gunk and stuff. First signs of an..I think an upper respiratory infection. ++Watch out for crazy people!! Anything else just ask ^.-

RoyalRaccoon · August 2010

I volunteered at the local shelter for awhile, and your concerns were the exact concerns I always had. Whenever you volunteer around animals in those kind of conditions you have to be prepared that you might bring something home; it's like a nurse working in a doctors office. However, if you are very careful, then you can greatly decrease your chances of bringing things home. My tips: 1. Wear work clothes or scrubs(if your local shelter lets you). Just wear something that's easy to get off, not that important, and can be thrown directly into the washing machine. 2. Wear old shoes, or cheap shoes that can be hosed off/cleaned easily. Pick a pair you wouldn't miss. 3. If you have long hair, then pin it up! It's easy to get filth and cleaning products in you hair, not to mention it's bothersome to have it in your face while you work. 4. Always change your clothes, and wash your hands before touching your own animals. 5. Keep you animals up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention. Also, there are a lot of jobs that don't require directly working with the animals, and they are just as important. I did filing in the clinic, washed bowls and littler pans, and did laundry. Even if this might not be what you want to do, they are good jobs to start doing while new to volunteer work.

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Volunteering - Question..

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