‘Warmth and love.’ Manatee shelter animals need volunteers as adoptions slow after holidays
After the holiday season, pet adoptions tend to slow down at animal shelters, leaving the animals without human interaction.
But through Manatee County’s volunteer and pet fostering programs, those animals are able to get TLC while waiting for their owners.
The Manatee County Animal Shelter now houses nearly 150 animals, including dogs, cats and rabbits.
Dena Sabou has been volunteering with the shelter for six months because she said it’s one of the few no-kill shelters in Southwest Florida.
The Manatee animal shelter had a 94% save rate in December and maintained a save rate in the 90% range for most of 2022, said animal outreach specialist Hans Wohlgefahrt.
Animals in Manatee County shelters are only put down if they absolutely have to be, he said. None of the animals are killed because of a lack of space or resources.
“I know that they have made a lot of conscientious decisions to do their very best to be a no-kill shelter, and they can say that quite proudly,” Sabou said. “I’m glad to be a part of that because I know that in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, dogs are euthanized on a daily basis, and I didn’t want to be a part of that.”
She said she also likes volunteering at the shelter for a more personal reason.
“I’m on disability because I have Lyme disease,” she shared. “There are days when I can’t get out of bed or walk very well, and then there are days when I need to walk because it’s good for me, and on those good days, I want to do something meaningful because being chronically ill can be very depressing.”
Volunteering at the Palmetto Adoption Center, 305 25th Street West, has given Sabou meaning and strengthened her advocacy for animals, especially those who end up in shelters.
“Things I have seen really make you start to doubt humanity when you see dogs come in that are skin and bones, starving and stained from urine because they have been kept in a little, tiny kennel, and some dogs have been rescued out of fighting rings, just really extreme abusive situations,” Sabou said.
While being in shelters isn’t ideal, it’s better than some of the situations the animals go through, and it’s one of the reasons why Wohlgefahrt would like more residents to get involved in pet adoption, fostering and volunteering.
In December, Manatee County Animal Services took in 343 animals, and 196 were adopted.
While some of these animals continue to wait for their forever homes, volunteers are needed and can help in many ways, like taking the dogs out on a trip to Starbucks for a pup cup, splashing around in the water near the Sunshine Skyway bridge pier, or simply lazing around in the sun on the lawn.
All of these activities play a huge part in getting the animals back to normal.
“What volunteers provided to these animals is intangible,” Wohlgefahrt said. “When people volunteer, they’re providing the warmth and love that these animals need.”
“I really emphasize to volunteers that you’re not just walking a dog down the street; be intentional about the time you spend with the animals because simply interacting with you is the most important part of the animals’ day,” he said.
Manatee County has three shelters: the Palmetto Adoption Center, Cat Town Adoption Center and Bishop Animal Shelter, where rabbits are kept. While the Bishop Animal Shelter occasionally has other animals available for adoption, the Palmetto Center and Cat Town are the primary locations for adoptions.
How to become a volunteer
• Submit an online application, which includes signing a volunteer agreement and a release and waiver of liability form.
• Complete an online orientation session.
• Attend an in-person interview and tour of facility and pick up your volunteer wristband.
• Sign up and volunteer for three activities at either facility.
• Be able to work independently and meet the volunteer requirements.
• Attend additional training sessions as required by MCAW.
• Volunteer at least monthly.
• Treat all animals with kindness and concern for their welfare.
• Represent yourself and MCAW in a professional manner and treat clients, staff, and other volunteers with respect.
• Junior volunteers (minimum age 14 years old for cats and 16 years old for dogs) can volunteer after completing all registration requirements and the orientation tour. Junior volunteers can foster once an application has been completed by a parent or guardian.
— Manatee County Animal Shelter
