Rescues Need Your Help Right Now - Here’s Why
The pandemic had a significant impact on animal rescues around the world. Many organizations struggled with a decrease in funding and halted outreach missions, causing a slew of long term complications to come.
Many assume that rescues are not yet accepting volunteers due to the threat of COVID, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. With many countries now open with certain entry requirements, these organizations are scrambling to fill volunteer vacancies.
Let me introduce you to the many reasons why rescues need your help now more than ever!
Can You Volunteer With COVID Still In Existence?
While COVID still persists to this day, it no longer limits your ability to volunteer in different parts of the world. You may need to show proof of vaccination and be willing to meet certain entry requirements, but these obstacles are worth it when offering your much needed help.
Not all countries are open to foreign travelers at this point, but MOST are. When scanning through any travel regulations map, you will find that many destinations are open as long as you are vaccinated.
If you are not vaccinated for any reason, there are still countries you can travel to, but you may need to quarantine upon arrival. For example, Albania, Mexico, and Egypt are among the countries that do not require a vaccine, but you may need to meet additional requirements.
The Impact COVID Had On The Animal Rescue World
Animal rescues and shelters will likely be struggling from the impact of COVID for years to come. While many of us are aware of the obvious impact from fewer volunteers and decreased funding, there is actually a complicated waterfall effect occurring behind the scenes.
Due to the mandatory lockdowns and decreased volunteer traffic, many organizations had to halt or cut back on their standard outreach missions. This could include everything from mass vaccinations and sterilizations to checking up on stray colonies.
When these outreach missions are halted or decreased, this leads to a boom in animal populations around their city. This also increases the amount of infectious disease, as new animals are unvaccinated against them.
When these issues develop, it takes time to restore order and gain back the control these organizations had before. There will be months and even years of outreach catch up, and many organizations just don't have the manpower on their own. Due to this, there will be an immense need for volunteers that can offer their assistance.
Rescues Are Desperately Trying To Catch Up
As we mentioned above, rescues and shelters will be playing an epic game of catch up over the next few years. So many important missions were affected by COVID, and the opening of borders finally offers a light at the end of the tunnel.
Not only can these organizations finally welcome volunteers back into their facilities, but many have permission from their governments to begin their important outreach work again. There is so much work to be done, and there are hundreds of volunteer vacancies that need to be filled.
How You Can Help
If you are interested in donating your time to an organization in need, I urge you to reach out to them directly about their current need for volunteers. Some may even be offering long-term positions with a small salary for those looking to dive in head first.
If you are a veterinary professional of any kind, you likely have an array of skills that can be of use in different parts of the globe. I urge you to finally reach out to some of the rescues you’ve been following and see if you can be of assistance!