Giving Back at the Animal Shelter

Kennels at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter were spruced up recently with new information cards and cardholders, thanks to volunteer efforts by local real estate agents and development teams from the Johnson Development communities of Woodforest and Grand Central Park.

The 25 volunteers worked in three shifts to change out more than 200 cards and cardholders — an overdue project that was greatly needed.

The need for this project and others at the shelter demonstrates how crucial volunteers are. Currently, teams of people volunteer at the shelter a couple of times a month, but the facility could handle one volunteer group a week. Groups as small as four or five or as large as 25 or 30 are welcome.

Experience can be tailored to the group’s goals. Those who want to work with animals will have the chance to do so while people who are uncertain about working directly with an animal can tend to other projects.

Individuals are also welcome to volunteer, especially as dog walkers, which some of the Woodforest and Grand Central Park teams also helped with. The shelter would ideally like all adult dogs walked once a day.

Also needed — in addition to adopters for the hundreds of available dogs and cats — are foster parents. People can volunteer to foster a dog or cat on a short- or long-term basis. There is also a Foster-For-A-Day program for dogs that has been very successful.

The Montgomery County Animal Shelter volunteer day is one of four Woodforest and Grand Central Park plans to host this year. The development teams invited Realtors to join them in February at the Montgomery County Food Bank where they packed enough food for 4,725 meals. In September, they will visit Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County for a Build Day. In December, the group will help out at Meals on Wheels. The Giving Day initiative is part of the communities’ Empower Realtors program, a series of classes and events to help real estate agents personally and professionally.

People interested in volunteering at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter can fill out a form online at www.mcaspets.org.