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Community Corner

Volunteering For Those With No Voice

Your time is very valuable when you volunteer at pet charities.

For six years Lorraine Munigan has been coming to LifeLine Animal Project to help take care of cats who are not hers. 

Every Thursday you can find her in the organization's Kitty Motel sweeping, vacuuming and talking to the rescued cats who call the cage-free area home.

"The cats are so sweet," she says, deftly moving between dozens of felines, who, depending on their mood are either trying to engage her in a game, watching a safe distance from the vacuum cleaner or snoozing away, completely comfortable with her presence.

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"I love it," says Munigan, "It's a lot of work but when I'm done I feel so good!"

Munigan's words echo a common refrain heard from those who give time to help out homeless pets, be it lending a hand at a shelter, clinic or adoption event, walking rescued dogs who need exercise or by using social media to educate the public and spotlight animals who need homes.

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Feeling good seems to follow doing good when volunteering.

Raymond Johnson, 48, is a massage therapist and motorcycle enthusiast. He calls him himself "an animal person" and when he decided to volunteer he also came to LifeLine.

He walks dogs and recently spent a few hours in their lobby with tools in hand, assembling specialty dog and cat beds that were donated to the shelter by supporters.

The warm feelings that come from volunteering go both ways.

Those who run shelters and rescues and work with animals in need love those who give of their time for the cause.

With so many animals needing help and homes, budgets are almost always thin. Volunteers supply a much needed boost in both human power and humane power.

"We always need volunteers," says Kathy Mooneyham, director of DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement, "Volunteers to walk the animals, to help bathe some animals or you can just volunteer your time to give us some suggestions on how we can do things better!"

Don't want to walk dogs or get wet? No worries. You can still help homeless pets. 

Second Life, an upscale resale shop in Avondale Estates that helps benefit area animal charities, is also a registered non-profit. Toby and Tanya Tobias opened the store a year ago and it's been so successful they invite volunteers to help them operations running smoothly and have some fun while helping the community.

Whether you have a lot of time to give or a little, your time is very valuable when you volunteer at pet charities. Or, as a wise doctor once wrote:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Dr. Suess

Related Topics: Local Heroes and Pets

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