Paws for Good: Tips for Volunteering With Furry Friends

At Publicis Health, public service and supporting the people and communities where we live and work are essential tenets of what we believe. April is National Volunteer Month, an opportunity for each of us to give back in ways big and small. Throughout April, we’re happy to share volunteer stories of team members from across Publicis Health.

Laurie Mellon, SVP Talent at Publicis Health, shares her experiences volunteering at the Humane Society of Ocean City New Jersey and offers tips on how to get involved.

Tell us a bit about your volunteering work …

I moved to Ocean City, NJ, last year and I wanted to find ways to meet people and make an impact in my new community. I love animals and have two rescue cats who live what I admit is a very spoiled, comfy life here at the beach. I decided to volunteer at the Humane Society of Ocean City New Jersey (HSOC). For the past year, I have spent time every week helping to care for shelter dogs by taking them for their morning walks while they anxiously wait for their forever families. I also help out at events like the Ocean City Block Party and the HSOC’s St. Pawtrick’s Day Bowling Fundraiser. It’s an incredibly rewarding opportunity to support my community and animals in need. I look forward to every single shift—rain or shine!  

The first person I met at the HSOC was Phil Bellucci, Director Operations at HSOC. Phil and his staff do whatever needs to be done to run the HSOC, which includes an animal shelter, a full-service low-cost veterinary clinic and animal control for the city. Those needs and priorities change every single day. HSOC counts on their volunteers to be the constant in the lives of the animals in the shelter’s care. HSOC volunteers do everything from collecting and sorting newspapers that line the kennels, laundry, answering phones, staffing and running events, dog walking and cat socialization. Volunteers support the running of the shelter while providing companionship for the animals and the enrichment and training they need to help them to get adopted.

I recently sat down with Phil to ask him what makes someone a great volunteer. These tips will help you no matter the kind of volunteer work you do.

1. Do your homework and choose an organization/cause you are passionate about. If you have this passion, you’ll make the commitment. Sometimes the work can be hard—physically and/or mentally. Be sure this is the work you want to do. For example, volunteering in animal rescue can be very emotional. You’ll experience the joy of helping an animal find their forever home and you’ll also work with animals who have experienced abuse or are otherwise hard to adopt.  
2. Be reliable. Be on time and ready to go for your shift. If you can’t make your commitment, let your volunteer coordinator know as soon as possible so they can find someone else to cover your shift. Volunteers often aren’t just a nice to have, they help the organization run. Do what you can to play your part.
3. Be an ambassador. Get yourself out there and talk about the great work the organization does. Like, comment and share their social media posts. Do what you can to spread the word and potentially even recruit other volunteers.
4. Share your ideas! Do you have an idea for a fundraiser? Do you have ideas how the organization could engage more people in the community? Do you have feedback to share from event participants? The organization wants to hear from you. Share your ideas and offer to help.

If you’re in Ocean City this summer, stop by and say hi to Phil and all of my furry friends at the Humane Society of Ocean City. You can also check out their adoptable cats and dogs online.