Puppy Rescue: 5 Reasons You Should Volunteer at Your Local Humane Society

If you're like most Americans, you're probably feeling torn by the political goings-on happening on the home front. It's hard to understand why some form of agreement cannot transpire, and it's worse when you see that your best friend of half a dozen years supports the opposing viewpoint.

You want to reach out and help by doing something that'll combat all of the negativity you're reading and hearing about, but at this point, you might be feeling a little sick of people. But guess what: you can still help the community. How? By volunteering at your local humane society.

Here are five reasons to get in your car and donate a couple of hours a week at the community animal shelter.

You're serving the community. According to One Green Planet, more than 2.7 million domesticated animals are put to sleep every year because shelters do not have the space to house them. Shelters rely on volunteers and animal fosters to help care for the animals and keep them from being put down simply because they were taking up space.

You can make a difference by offering to foster dogs or cats in danger of being put down while promoting their adoptability on social networks and with sponsored events. Take the photographer Sophie Gamand as an example. Sophie travels from shelter to shelter and photographs shelter dogs to show their playful, sweet and charming personalities. In doing so, Sophie has helped to adopt out several dogs and has saved their flames from being snuffed out too early.

Like Sophie, you can showcase these adoptable pups with cute personalized embroidered dog collars and leashes that share their names and their need for a forever home.

You're sharing love with an animal in need. Like humans, dogs don't get to choose where they start out in life. This means that they, like us, could have come from abusive homes or off the street. By showing a dog or cat (in some cases even birds!) that not all people are out to do them harm, you are teaching them how to trust and love again. One kind act of affection will turn the shelter animal from a frightened, shaking creature shrunk in a corner into an energetic, playful and loving furry companion.

You're challenging yourself to learn something new. The idea of volunteering for a charity doing work you're unfamiliar with may feel overwhelming. Having to walk into a new environment, introduce yourself and apply to for a volunteer position would make anyone feel nervous. But just think: by volunteering, you're helping the helpless.

In performing duties you haven't done before, such as dog walking, training or even bottle feeding, you are expanding your knowledge base and growing your skill set. Being new to the volunteer team, you might even be able to point some new things out well-seasoned staff who hadn't seen it through your eyes.

You will meet other like-minded people in your community. What is the number one reason you and the handful of volunteers like you are volunteering? Because you love animals. You and your fellow volunteers recognize the importance of finding these sweet souls “furever” homes. By meeting people with similar interests to yours, you'll make new friends and continue to do good work together at the humane society. There's even a chance that through your combined efforts, you'll start your own fostering program!

You will acquire a new skill to list on your resume. If you want to turn your volunteer activism into a career, having the experience you've acquired posted on your resume will single you out from the rest and help you land that job. Do you want to work on the board of directors at the animal shelter? Maybe you're interested in going to veterinary technician school. The experience you gain volunteering will help you on your journey to becoming a full-time animal rights activist/professional.

I've always said that dogs are too good for us. To repay them for their love and kindness, the least we can do is offer them a head scratch and belly rub.