National Volunteer Week starts May 18, 2020 and we wanted to say thank you to all the incredible people who volunteer with the RSPCA (see our video below). Scroll down to read six of our volunteer's stories and experiences, all are quite different but the reason they keep coming back remains the same – Helping Animals, Enlightening People and Changing Lives.
While pointing out her favourite dogs from the “adoptions” pictures on the wall, Tracy reflected back on her 3 years of volunteering at the RSPCA. Her love for animals (and love for free coffee which she had just received) keeps her coming back to volunteer. Every shift she works, Tracy puts in her all, with her main priority being animals and making her team members laugh.
A skill that Tracy has learned through her years at the RSPCA - becoming attuned to different behaviors in dogs. Her main goal in the future is to adopt a dog. What an awesome goal!
Tracy came in for her volunteer interview with her friend Chris. The pair bounce off each other and it’s so clear that they love what they do. Chris and Tracy love messing around with their other crew members, playing practical jokes and having a laugh. It’s clear they both love the team dynamic and are fueled by friendship and a passion for helping animals.
While Chris was fully invested in his interview, he was also fully invested in Kristoff – an Australian Cattle Dog who also came in to answer some questions. Chris’ need for enriching and keeping Kristoff happy was a testament to his priority for animals.
From correctly scruffing a cat, to handling a bird the size of a cat, Chris has almost done it all. He has been at the RSPCA for over 2 and a half years and has loved every moment. He’s keen to learn more about a variety of animals and to build on the skills he already has.
When asked about his most rewarding moment, Chris explained the time when he was called to aid a mother wallaby who had been hit by a car. The team had to extract the joey from the wallaby’s pouch, and on the way back to the hospital, Chris was asked to carry the baby joey on his lap. In that moment he knew he was in the right place.
Volunteering as an animal carer, ambulance driver and at the volunteer desk, Matt has almost hit 5,000 hours helping the RSPCA. His passion for animals and cheeky rivalries within his team have kept him coming in; hour after hour. Matt loves seeing how animals change for the better over time, and how every volunteer and crew member are, “working for one cause”.
Matt has been in many rewarding situations, one of which has been releasing wildlife. A particular story was when Matt was involved in a koala rescue. He assisted the koala throughout its time at the RSPCA and was able to name it. When the koala was ready to be released, Matt had the honour of doing so. He has also been involved with Adoption Events, and seeing families picking their forever friend never fails to put a smile on his face.
When asked what skill he has mastered, he replied with, “picking up dog poo” – an answer that shows his light-hearted humour in any situation. He loves cracking jokes here and there; with customers and with colleagues.
Being a foster carer and past adopter himself, Graeme has a huge love for all animals great and small. His 1.5 years of experience has seen him at the Volunteer desk, where he interacts with many volunteers, new and old. As of recent COVID-19 times, Graeme has been needed in animal care, due to the recommended cutback of volunteers coming through.
Graeme’s most rewarding moment was seeing an older dog that had been under RSPCA’s care for a while being adopted by, what he described as ‘the perfect match’.
Being at the volunteer desk, Graeme has a passion for people and helping them as much as he can. He makes new volunteers feel welcome and enjoys running tours for orientation. Much like Matt (who Graeme shares a healthy rivalry with), Graeme loves to play harmless pranks on other volunteers, which adds to the wholesome team dynamic.
Although Amy has only been volunteering at the RSPCA for 6 months, her skills and experiences far outweigh her time here. Amy has an admin volunteer position for the Inspectorate and also assists with Happy Paws, Happy Hearts – an organisation that focusses on creating positive change within people’s lives through animal training and handling programs.
For Amy, rewarding moments come each and every shift. Seeing change within participants that come through the Happy Paws, Happy Hearts program always brings a smile to Amy’s face. She also really enjoys working with the staff in the Inspectorate and the relationships that they build over time. Even though Amy is heavily involved within these team-based positions, her skills to take initiative and work independently when she has to, is something that she has developed so far.
RSPCA dogs in care needing a little extra human interaction are not uncommon to show up in the Inspectorate office. Amy always has a chuckle when a dog does something silly, and explained how she has a soft spot for the dog Boots, who she said is a loving, “fruit-bat coloured” old soul.
Check out what volunteers positions are available and apply online. Due to COVID-19, we have had to postpone the majority of our volunteer positions however, please check back regularly to view the latest positions available.
With a heart for writing and animals, Jemima’s current creative writing degree internship allows her to fuse both of these passions. She hopes to continue this combination into the future, always with a fur buddy by her side.
