I talk about animal rescue, a lot.
I talk about the crisis that is animal welfare and about all of the animals out there that need rescuing, and while the folks I talk to agree, there's something or things that hold them back from feeling like they can be an active participant in making an impact, too.
Some might be fostering what one could only describe as a small zoo, some are busy raising mini-humans or taking care of loved ones, or they could be preoccupied by a million other things. Life happens.
Thankfully, there's a way that you can directly help animals journey to their new life without you needing to attend a half-day training or commit long term to any particular amount of hours, ever.
Animal transport is the volunteer opportunity I wish I knew about long before 2016 when I actually discovered it.
My first Doobert trip with sweet Emily, August 2016. Don't worry, we're stopped :)
I can only imagine I was doing what I do... using the internet to read about animals, watch animals, talk about animals, etc. etc. Then I stumbled upon a genius project, Doobert.com.
Doobert is a platform that helps rescues and volunteers coordinate transportation for at-risk animals. It's pretty easy to get started and makes a HUGE difference!
After you sign up, you'll receive emails about trips coming through your area and can sign up for as many or as few as you'd like.
What does a typical trip look like?
- After signing up you'll receive confirmation that all legs have been filled and some guest specific info you'll want to know.
- At the set time, meet another volunteer at a location of your choosing to pick up the animals. Spacious, low traffic parking lots easily accessible from the highway work well for this. Don't forget their paperwork, too!
- Drive about 60-80 minutes to the next city, again meeting a volunteer at a previously coordinated location. Safely transfer the pets to the next volunteer after a little potty and water break, if applicable.
- Check in and let the team know you've successfully handed off your traveling companion(s). Drive home, give yourself a pat on the back!
- Sign up again whenever you'd like.
Caution: Tips are provided by passengers in the form of puppy kisses. Hearts may break. I'm not crying, you're crying.
Yes, it's that simple! And yes, I think I've gotten teary-eyed on every transport in the last two years. If puppy love, happy tears and a sense of accomplishment working towards a greater good are something that interest you, head on over to Doobert's Frequently Asked Questions to learn more. You can even check out their Volunteer Map to see the distribution of volunteers across the country.
But it gets better! When you complete your profile, you can sign up to volunteer in other ways too like coordinating transports, helping to find lost pets, volunteering on-line and more.
Now it's you're turn. Sign up at Doobert.com and spread the word - let others know there's another way to volunteer and all it takes is a little road trip to save a life!
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