Best Volunteer Opportunities For Animal Lovers In Los Angeles
Animal lovers will do just about anything humanly possible for their furry friends. That includes pampering their own pooches and kidding around with their personal kitty cats. But sometimes that is just not enough. For those who want to volunteer to help less fortunate animals that are living but not necessarily thriving in and around Los Angeles, here are five excellent organizations that can really use additional assistance.
Tails of the City Animal Rescue
Los Angeles, CA 90018
(323) 388-6541
www.tailsofthecityrescue.com
Getting involved with Tails of the City is easy and includes many options. You can volunteer any Saturday when this animal rescue holds adoptions at PETCO on 2nd and La Brea from 1 to 4 p.m. Anyone can work as long as those who are younger than 18 have written parental consent. Another way to help is to foster one of the furry friends living in these temporary quarters until a forever home can be found. Then there is the need for drivers who will take the dogs and cats various places, like to a vet for a visit or to their new abode. Photographers and videographers who can volunteer are also very much appreciated since the better these pets are represented in their images, the better their chance of being adopted. Computer-literate volunteers are also in need to help update the Tails of the City site and the Petfinder pages. And fundraising efforts are also a very important option.
PETA
2154 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 644-7382
www.peta.com
Volunteers at PETA are always welcome because this organization, formally called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, needs as many Angelenos to come to its aid as possible. The work at PETA is literally never done and so volunteer opportunities come in all kinds of ways through all kinds of campaigns, like the current dog house program that has all involved delivering bedding in order to keep our furry friends warm when that would otherwise not be possible. This non-profit organization that operates in Echo Park and all over the world is very community oriented and goes by the adage, "Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment."
Bunny World Foundation
4470 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 482
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(310) 498-8600
www.bunnyworldfoundation.org
Los Angeles' Bunny World Foundation (BFF) came about in 2008 to help reduce rabbit overpopulation and abandonment as well as to eliminate animal cruelty. This is especially important in the downtown fashion district's Santee Alley where alleged illegal animal sales are prevalent and ongoing. Among these animals are turtles infected with salmonella and puppies afflicted with parvo as well as rare birds that have allegedly been kidnapped. BFF's volunteers do all kinds of work for this non-profit organization that often collaborates with other rescue efforts. This includes raising awareness about how to save lives in county and city shelters throughout Los Angeles that are rated as high kill.
Related: SoCal's Best Animal Rescue Groups
A Dog's Life Rescue
Various Mobile Locations
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(310) 590-7387
www.adogsliferescue.org
Julia Pennington and Allison Lange created A Dog's Life Rescue (ADLA) about a decade ago as a no-kill, all-volunteer organization solely serving to eradicate animal abuse as well as to save the lives of furry felines and canines. This not-for-profit outlet helps abandoned and abused animals by offering both medical and emotional care to these neglected pets. In addition, the mission statement for A Dog's Life Rescue says, "We continuously strive to promote the importance of spaying and neutering as well as the ethical treatment of all animals through community outreach, education and adoption."
Kitten Rescue
914 Westwood Blvd., Suite 583
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(818) 347-3037
www.kittenrescue.org
The official charity of the LA Marathon 2014, Kitten Rescue came on the LA scene more than 15 years ago. Ever since, this loving organization has been devoted to all kinds of kitties – big and small, young and old, healthy and not so healthy. In fact, since this non-profit was founded in 1997, some 10,000 cats have been rescued and then placed in forever homes. While waiting for this opportunity, the felines live in foster quarters while volunteers also help by bottle feeding orphaned or abandoned kittens as well as mommy cats who have just given birth to new litters. There's a lot to do at this caring retreat that helps heal and socialize its broods while taking care of important matters along the way.
