California Shelter Reintroduces Volunteer Program After Facing Challenges

volunteers petting dog

The Santa Monica Animal Shelter (SMAS) relaunches its volunteer program after experiencing a shortage of staff and budget cuts due to the pandemic. The city removed the animal control officers and kennel attendant positions when it faced financial difficulties due to the lockdowns.

“The more enrichment and attention animals get the more likely they are to be adopted,” said Carmen Molinari, chair of the Santa Monica Animal Shelter Foundation and a ten-year volunteer.

This is true because without volunteers to train the sheltered animals, the animals are less desirable for adopters as their unruly behavior could damage house objects. The SMAS is looking for volunteers to help with taking care of the sheltered animals.

Are you interested in signing up? You can call the shelter during their business hours at 310-458-8595. Just ask for Martin Hernandez. He’s the one who coordinates the program.

Source: Santa Monica Daily Press


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