OU students volunteering for a local animal shelter will now have to go to an orientation before working.
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary will require its volunteers to go through the volunteer orientation starting Aug. 1.
“We’re trying to upgrade our volunteer program to where it is a lot more structured,” said Jack Perkins, Second Chance executive director.
Perkins said the volunteer orientations will allow Second Chance to better organize its volunteers to come at specific times and do specific things. He said 80 percent of the volunteers, which are mostly OU students, come and only walk the dogs, but the shelter needs much more done to keep it running efficiently.
Second Chance volunteers need to help with other tasks, said Whitney Miner, a regular volunteer.
“I believe they could really use people who are willing to clean out cages and do some of the dirty work,” said Miner, biochemistry sophomore.
Kendall McMurrian, sonography sophomore, said she thinks people who are going to volunteer wouldn’t mind going to the orientation as long as it was not too long or extensive.
“I think if they did have an orientation, people would be able to do more things,” said McMurrian, who volunteers regularly.
The one-hour orientation will be very simple, Perkins said.
“We’re just making sure everyone is acclimated to what we do and what we consider is important and how to engage and do those things,” Perkins said. “We want people to understand what their role is as a volunteer and how they could help us.”
Perkins said there would be more training later to teach volunteers how to match animals to specific people and how to find foster homes for the pets.
Perkins said the worst thing Second Chance can do is turn volunteers away, because sometimes the shelter has too many. He said he is a little concerned the orientation requirement will deter some volunteers.
“I have a fear that it may discourage them, but I know that it is a better way to go,” Perkins said.
He said approximately 200 people are listed as volunteers, but he said he thinks 50 to 100 volunteers who can really work with the animals, clean and help with adoption would add to Second Chance’s success.
Lenora Muhm, professional writing sophomore, said she has volunteered at Second Chance three times this semester with Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity.
Muhm said the shelter has had the problem of too many people going into the shelter at one time.
“The orientation will help things be a lot more structure and a lot less chaotic,” Muhm said.
She said some sort of orientation would stop undedicated volunteers and would ensure volunteers are informed and reliable as to what they can and cannot do.
Perkins said volunteers will have to commit to volunteering at least one three-hour shift at Second Chance per month.
The shelter needs volunteers to walk the dogs, do office work and clean, according to the organization’s website.
Perkins said the shelter also needs volunteers for its monthly Petsmart and Petco adoptions as well as other major community-outreach events.
“We’re hoping our volunteers can step up and become an integral part of what we’re doing here,” Perkins said. “We’re really going to elevate their role to be a critical role, not just important but extremely important.”
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary was founded in 1989 to rescue, foster, spay, neuter and find homes for abandoned animals, according to its website.
The first volunteer orientation is May 3.
The Oklahoma Daily is pleased to provide you the opportunity to share your thoughts about this article. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or straying from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of OUDaily.com. Thanks for taking the time to offer your thoughts.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Log in | Register
TheTroll 2 years, 1 month ago
This is cool and all, but each day that there has been big-picture or pressing news item (OKC Bombing 15th, UOSA rulings) we are delighted to a Cassi Toney feel-good feature about plants and doggies. Can I get some main page coverage of the hard news or big stories, and save the junk for page 3?
Mister_Miyagi 2 years, 1 month ago
"Mister Miyagi" says, "One of my best friends, "Soldier" came from Second Chance Animal Shelter! It is a great place to volunteer. Check out my video: "Dog Day Afternoon: People Have the Power" to see Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in action!
"Dog Day Afternoon- People Have The Power" by DogsDogsDogsNorman
P.S. I'm the pekingese in prisoner garb- I got pinched for being so cute...
Wax Off!