Why should YOU volunteer at an animal welfare organisation?

Throughout our lives, we are surrounded by animals. We wake up to the sound of birds chirping, see dogs being walked around localities, and drive past cows grazing by the sides of these roads. Bengaluru may be a concrete jungle, but the number of animals that dwell within it is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, since the urban environment is not the most suitable for these animals, a lot of them live their lives while starving or ill, and plenty of them wind up injured or dead. Animal organisations do their best to care for and treat as many of these animals - but they need help and manpower. That's where volunteers come in!

Volunteering at an animal organisation can involve feeding the animals, cleaning the area they stay in, and, in the case of domesticated animal organisations, spending time with the animal in order to train or simply play with them. Depending on the type of volunteer work, it can even involve technical help and data entry. Volunteering at animal organisations is a great thing to do for many reasons, three of which this blog will be focusing on.


One: It helps the animals.
Two: It helps the organisation.
Three: It helps you.


Domesticated animals, such as cats and dogs, need a lot of care. Unfortunately, many animal organisations are at maximum capacity due to the number of stray animals in the city, and cannot give each of these animals the individual care that they need. Plenty of animals die young in these organisations, and many grow old without ever being adopted. Volunteering for these animals allows these animals to receive adequate care and love, while also receiving individual attention that may help with the identification of any issue which, if untreated, could cause the animal to die prematurely. Since working at an organisation (whether domesticated or wild) will undoubtedly allow you to learn about animals, it can also clear up harmful misconceptions about them, such as the idea that cats can survive on vegan diets. With the knowledge that you gain from volunteering for animals, you can spread awareness about them to the people around you, and thus reduce both the intentional and unintentional harm caused to animals. It’s the perfect way for any animal lover to save lives.


Plenty of animal organisations are, unfortunately, understaffed and/or underfunded. This means that many organisations require additional help that they cannot afford, in order to care for animals and provide them with an environment in which they can thrive. Volunteering at these organisations will give them the extra helping hand they need. Working to clean and repair the areas in which the animals live is a wonderful way to help the organisation focus more on feeding and taking care of the animals. Spreading the word about what the organisation is doing can also bring in more donations, which provides more funding for animal care.

It can also help you grow as a person. As stated before, volunteering for animals helps you learn more about them, which is a great way to broaden your knowledge and ability to help if you encounter an injured animal. It can also give you pointers on what to do while raising a pet of your own, and encourage you and the people around you to adopt instead of shopping. Volunteer work also looks great on a resume; it shows that you are the kind of person who steps forward and works for what they want to achieve. Volunteering at an animal organisation specifically also shows that you are compassionate and helpful and that you are willing to put in the effort to be kind and save lives.

All in all, volunteering at an animal organisation is a wonderful way to broaden your horizons, while also being able to spend time with animals at work. It’s a win-win situation, and definitely a decision you should consider making!

If you would like to volunteer at PfA, visit peopleforanimalsbangalore.org/volunteer

Authored by Meghana Raatni, former Intern, PfA Bangalore