Daughter keen to volunteer.

KoolKid

My Daughter loves animals (Especially Dogs) She is 14 & would love to volunteer & help in shelters etc.
She has contacted Dogs Trust & a couple of others , they all insist on volunteers being over 16.
Anyone know of anywhere in the Dublin area where should could make herself useful?

Fitzg

well, I'm not sure what the age rules are but I know the dogs in the pound at Ashtown are always in need of a walk and some human contact.
Ashtown is a pound though and walking dogs there is too hard for me to do regularly because I know they get put to sleep. They appreciate the walks though
When I started walking the dogs there my friend and I just turned up and asked if we could take any out for a walk and the people working there just gave us leads and let us get on with it. There are a few large fields on the grounds of the pound to walk them around.
As I say I'm not sure on the age restrictions but maybe if someone over 16 goes with your daughter the first time just to get her started then she will be ok to walk them after that? I've seen families with young children walking dogs there on the weekends...
The people who worked in the pound were very friendly and approachable and appreciated the dogs being brought out.

KoolKid

Thanks for that Fitzg,we will look into it.

marley123

I second Ashton Dog Pound - they always need people to go up & walk the dogs.

Nyan Cat

Im not actually sure. But I have a feeling that 16 is the age that organisations can legally take on volunteers.
Or it could be an insurance thing....
You might have more luck with smaller organisations

KoolKid

Thanks. Ill see how the weekend goes and maybe take a spin up with her.

Inexile

I know the insurance can be an issue for under 16s working with animals so perhaps she could go another route.

Ask if she could volunteer in the office or shadow personnnel when they are taking photos of the dogs . I know she is probably wants to get her hands on a real dog but perhaps if she shows she is willing to assist in other areas she get a foot in the door. It will also give a chance to see more of how a rescue operates.

Delancey

Ah , the old chestnut of ' Insurance ' .......the great Irish excuse why things can't get done and common sense goes out the window :rolleyes:

Cherry Blossom

Delancey wrote: »

Ah , the old chestnut of ' Insurance ' .......the great Irish excuse why things can't get done and common sense goes out the window :rolleyes:

To be fair, insurance is a bit more than an excuse when it comes to animals where there is no guaranteed history, it wouldn't take much of an accident at all if accompanied by an over-zealous parent to shut a place down. Take kids that help out at equestrian yards for example, they are restricted to helping out with/handling horses that fall under riding-school insurance and are owned by the yard only eg. if it's the sort of place with other 'types' of horses (no messing about with each other's livery ponies, competition horses etc.)

KoolKid

I do understand the insurance issues. She really loves animals ,she would walk the lenght and breath of Ireland if there was a dog in tow.
She does horse riding and insurance is our responsibility.