How to Help › SPCA Volunteers

Volunteers are a vital part of our SPCA

You can volunteer your help in lots of different ways - either at the centre or in the community.

At the centre

At our centre on Kioreroa Road you can choose to either work with dogs or cats or both! If you'd rather not work with animals there are other things volunteers do here, like washing dishes, doing laundry, general cleaning and gardening.

Dogs

Our dogs need to be fed and their cages cleaned at least twice a day. Many of the dogs also need to be walked every day or taken for a run in our large grass enclosure. Dogs are social animals and it is good to have people who can spend time with the dogs who are waiting to be adopted. Even if you can spare just one hour a week to walk dogs or socialise puppies that is a big help.

Cats

Our cats need to be fed and their cages cleaned at least twice a day. Cats and kittens also like to get cuddles and pats - and some also like being brushed!

In the Community

Some people say they don't volunteer at our centre as they would find it too upsetting. If that sounds like you - don't despair! There are lots of other ways you can help us to help the animals. Check out our How to help page to find out more.

Volunteer's Experience

Ani's volunteer work

One of the longest serving young volunteers at our SPCA is 15 year old Ani Van Sinten. The Whangarei Girls' High School student started volunteering at the centre when she was just 10 years old.

"I was always interested in animals and my mum rang the SPCA to see if there was anything I could do there." In those days volunteers under the age of 12* had to be supervised by an adult so Ani and her mum Debbie started coming in together every Saturday to help out in the cattery, where they cleaned cages and fed the cats and kittens.

Ani says she enjoyed playing with the animals after she'd finished her jobs. "It brought me closer to them and it was good to know I'd help to make their day a little brighter."

Ani started doing Top Dogs (where dogs ready for adoption are housed) when she was 12 years old, cleaning, feeding and playing with the animals.
"At the start I was a little scared of some of the dogs but I knew I had lots of help from staff and I was trained well, mainly by Sue McDonald."

For the past five years Ani has spent every Saturday morning at our centre and she is now a trusted and much treasured young volunteer. "I help out everywhere now, I pretty much know how the centre runs so when new kids start I help show them what to do."

Ani, who owns a cat named Minnie and two dogs named Sky and Billie, all of whom were rescued from the SPCA, wants to be a veterinarian nurse and says that by volunteering at the SPCA she is learning valuable skills like animal handling and all about animal behaviour.

To anyone thinking of volunteering she says "just come along".
"Just a few hours won't hurt you and you will help some innocent animals."


* Today we require volunteers to be at least 14 years old.

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