Thank you for your interest in Shelter Link’s Volunteer Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit all-volunteer organization established in 2008 to benefit the animals at the Town of Islip Animal Shelter and surrounding community. Our wonderful volunteers socialize the dogs by walking and exercising them outdoors and giving them much needed individual attention. Our dogs also get the additional benefit of basic training by our volunteer Certified Obedience Instructors, Rita Schrecongost and Jack Steffens. The socialization and grooming of the cats are attended to by our volunteers indoors.
Shelter Link also organizes fundraising events and attends many local fairs and festivals to promote adoptions of shelter animals as well as to provide them with such necessities as flea and tick medications, comfortable beds, and special medical attention. Some recent fundraising events organized by Shelter Link include Garage/Yard Sales, Dinner/Dances, Bowl-a-thons, and the numerous Adopt-a-thons and Open Houses held at the Shelter throughout the year.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and are required to attend hands-on training sessions with a senior Shelter Link volunteer, learning how to maneuver dogs in/out of their cages, walking dogs outdoors, cleaning up after dogs outside, and exercising dogs in the outside runs. These training sessions will continue until the instructor feels the volunteer is prepared to work independently – average five 2-hour sessions.
We are, unfortunately, limited in the number of volunteers on our roster. Therefore, in order for our animals to receive the maximum benefit from each volunteer we do enroll, we must require that each volunteer commit to devote a minimum number of hours to our organization as follows:
We do hope you decide to join our ranks. A more rewarding experience will be hard to find. Contact us here to volunteer.
- volunteering at the shelter for a minimum of 15 hours per month
- volunteering 2 hours at one of our various special events every six months (or twice a year), e.g. Open House, Bowl-a-thon, Bake Sale, County Fairs, etc.
- attending each training session offered by Shelter Link. Sufficient classes will be offered at different times and dates, including weekends, to accommodate everyone’s schedule.
