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The Athens County Dog Shelter Enjoys Having Volunteers
By: Erick Starkey
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Volunteers love to share their time and love for animals at the Athens County Dog Shelter which is only a couple of miles off of Ohio University's campus.
"I love dogs and it's a good chance for them to get to be outside and run around instead of just sitting in their cages all day," Aly Mitchel, a sophomore at Ohio University and a shelter volunteer, said.
Volunteers can show up any time the shelter is open, which is from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on weekdays with the exception of Wednesday when they are open until 7 p.m. and on Saturdays when they are open from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. These volunteers can stay as long as they want until the shelter closes. There seems to be a constant flow of volunteers at the shelter, especially in warmer weather.
Volunteers can either take the dogs out on a leash or out into the outdoor play pins so they can run around and play with toys.
"You can just tell that they appreciate when you come and let them out and give them some extra attention," Lauren Brooks, a junior at Ohio University and a shelter volunteer, said.
The dog lovers simply show up and sign in and they can walk any dog around on a leash or they can let them run around in the fenced in play area.
These volunteers have a big impact on the dogs because in general, the bulk of time spent outside by any of the dogs is when a volunteer takes them out so the shelter loves having volunteers who help get the dogs some sunshine and exercise.
The shelter is meant to not be a permanent home for the dogs as they have dog enthusiasts come in and adopt dogs all throughout the week. Overall, the dogs are well looked after between the volunteers and those who happen to be looking to adopt a dog from the shelter.