Why I Love Donating Time to The Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter

I have been wanting to volunteer at the Heart of the Valley, the wonderful animal shelter in Bozeman, for months now. So, last month I finally checked it out and got started! They start you off with a introduction course that informs you about their system, policies, and the layout. The tour was well worth it! The public only gets to see a small portion of what is really going on. There is a whole processing system for animals that are turned in. They even have their own “dog whisperer” that works one on one with the animals. He gives classes in dog training and behavior! Little Miley, the black lab you’ve seen pictures of before, has been testing me lately and a 65-pound puppy sure can be destructive! I am using many of new found tools on Miss. Miles!

There are many different ways to volunteer there. There is office work, donation collectors, dog walkers, cat companions, etc. I really wanted to work with the animals, so I signed up for the dog training course and cat cuddling training. I was all enthused to be a dog runner! I had visions of running across the fields with a shelter dog stretching their legs, tongue hanging out, and ears flapping in the wind! I soon discovered that they promote more calm interactions with the dogs. Shelter life is stressful on animals. The best thing you can do for the animals is take them on a walk away from noises and just pet them. Massage them and give them your full attention. Such a simple action means worlds to them. So, my vision has changed a bit…. less self-centered and more in tuned with the dogs at the shelter. I got to meet Pacino and take him for a walk. He is an “old”, sled dog with such expressive ears! He was very patient with me and figuring out his leash system. I could tell he was used to getting lots of pets when he stopped by every bench we passed on the trail

There are hundreds of cats at the shelter. The adoption rooms only hold a small portion of them! Many of them clamor for attention and just want love. They have rooms where you can take the cat out and sit with them. All volunteers are also trained on staying healthy and preventing sickness from spreading. In the training course, they go into detail about cat behaviors, adoptability, and ways to help them be at ease in the shelter. The number one thing that stresses out cats is dog barking. At the shelter, that is hard to avoid. They are now working on putting up a sound proofing system to help the cats be more comfortable! There are truly wonderful, kind, animal lovers working at the Heart of the Valley. I am excited to be part of the volunteer team and appreciate the staff making me feel so welcomed. I highly recommend you to go and check it out!!!!

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