By Steph McNicol
RECRUITING volunteers to love and care for animals is a top priority for Edgar’s Mission, near Lancefield.
Edgar’s Mission currently provides sanctuary to more than 450 animals in need, in particular animals that are unprotected by the animal cruelty laws in Australia.
Volunteer and outreach manager Delaney Watts said part of their mission of kindness was connecting with the animals while also doing maintenance.
“Our volunteer sanctuary assistants are assigned to set areas each week, which means they get to connect with those animals and help us identify if there are any welfare or health issues,” she said.
“As much as it is housekeeping, and cleaning the animals’ living space, we do also encourage putting tools down and having kind interactions with the animals.”
Ms Watts said people who were interested in volunteering as a sanctuary assistant should be prepared to volunteer at least one six-hour shift each week or fortnight.
“Our volunteers don’t tend to every acre or area every day, but you can imagine, it helps to support the day-to-day operations and housekeeping,” she said.
“We take volunteers seven days a week, all through the year even public holidays. The animals don’t know it’s a public holiday or a weekend.
“If people want to do the volunteer sanctuary assistant role, we ask that they attend a three hour volunteer information session.
“We try to make sure people understand that no matter what the weather is, or the temperature, certain things have to be done each day, so we give them a realistic introduction as to what is required.”
Sanctuary assistant volunteer Masha Colin said she had been volunteering for almost two years.
“I come in every Tuesday, and I’ve been doing it for almost two years. I walk into this place and I’m in paradise. We do so much for these animals, especially when you see them injured, and then in a month they’re much better,” she said.
“We should be kind to animals and not cruel.”
Volunteer roles include administration support, minor garden and lawn maintenance, outreach, sanctuary assistance, sanctuary maintenance, shop and customer service and shop and stock hand.
For more information about the volunteering roles, contact Edgar’s Mission on 0408 397 301.
