Practice: LISTENING

Hello everyone, and thank you for volunteering with Elmwood Animal Shelter — I'm Sarah, and I coordinate the volunteer programme here. Before your first shift, there are a few things you'll need to know. First, arrival: all volunteers should sign in at the front office, not the main shelter entrance, since that door is reserved for staff and visitors bringing animals in. You'll be given a lanyard to wear for the duration of your shift, and this needs to be returned to the office before you leave. Second, training: every new volunteer must complete a thirty-minute induction session, covering basic animal handling and our safety procedures, before working with any of the animals directly — this happens on your very first visit, so please arrive fifteen minutes early that day. Third, tasks: most volunteers start out helping with cleaning kennels and preparing food, and only move on to dog walking once a senior volunteer has observed them working confidently with the animals for at least two shifts. Cat handling requires a separate, shorter briefing, since our cats are kept in a quieter area and have different handling needs. Fourth, scheduling: shifts are booked a week in advance through our online rota system, and if you can't make a shift you've signed up for, you need to cancel at least twenty-four hours beforehand so we can find a replacement — last-minute cancellations genuinely leave us short-staffed. Fifth, a note on clothing: closed-toe shoes are required at all times in the kennel area, and we recommend clothes you don't mind getting dirty, since cleaning is a big part of most shifts. Finally, if you ever have any concerns about an animal's welfare or behaviour, please raise it with a member of staff immediately rather than handling it yourself — we'd always rather you asked than risk an injury to yourself or the animal. Now, let's head through to the office so you can sign in and get started.