Furry fix

Sarah Palmer, Contributor | 

For many young adults, the pursuit of a post-secondary education often sparks the beginning of a life phase defined by change, notably in regard to their living situation—as was the case for 18.2 per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 24 who moved away from home to attend university in 2023, according to Statistics Canada. 

Establishing one’s individuality apart from their family evokes bittersweet emotions that extend beyond human relationships. Many people also face the challenge of parting with their childhood pet as well. 

Having the absence of a pet might lead some to consider adopting one of their own. But between the skyrocketing rental market and recent prevalence of no-pet housing, today’s young adults might not have that choice. 

Last year, 82.1 per cent of Canadian young adults rented their place of residence. Deterring them from getting their own pet, some provinces including Alberta have legislation permitting landlords to prohibit tenants from having a pet—hinting at the reason why 33 per cent of the nation’s renters surrendered their pet in 2023.

“No pet housing is the biggest reason that people are bringing their animals to us,” said Suzanne Fletcher, Manager of Admissions and Foster at the Calgary Humane Society. “It’s heartbreaking.”

For both current pet owners and those hoping to attain an animal of their own in the future, pet-friendly housing is slim pickings for today’s young adults. However, volunteering at an animal shelter can satisfy one’s craving of having a furry companion.

Established in 1922, the city’s first animal welfare organization, the Calgary Humane Society (CHS) offers volunteers endless puppy eyes and purring all without the personal and financial burden associated with pet-parenthood.

Having experienced a drop in participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, the CHS team currently manages over 650 active volunteers who collectively contribute over 200,000 hours annually—a stark increase compared to the 10,000 hours logged in 2020.

Each volunteer works as one of the 25 different roles pertaining to either the cat or dog sector of the shelter. Volunteers are expected to assist the shelter for a minimum of two hours per week for no less than six months consecutively. 

Positions become available based on what is in demand at the time of application, which must be done prior to being considered for an interview. Little mandatory qualifications officially exist, but a personal history of owning or assisting with the responsibilities of having a domesticated animal are considered assets. 

“It’s always good that you have a genuine interest and care for animal welfare,” said Bree Piotrowski, Manager of Volunteer Resources at the CHS. “”[That’s] what I look for in all volunteers.”

Once a candidate is selected, the CHS’s Peace Officer staff undergo a screening of personal records to ensure that someone does not have a history of disturbing an animal’s well-being, among other offenses posing as “red-flags.”

Accepted volunteers engage in a two to four week long training program involving a combination of online tutorials and in-shelter orientations.

Kicking off a shift in the cat section, volunteers start by reporting to the shelter’s animal care department for instruction before coordinating cuddles and delivering purrs—a combination of play and pampering with the intention of “providing exercise and enrichment,” said Piotrowski.

After the feline fun, volunteers must feed the cats for not only nutritional purposes, but to distract them from their shift’s final chore of scrubbing kennels and sanitizing linens to maintain overall cleanliness and protect against disease. 

More of a dog person? Not to worry. A volunteer in the dog section orchestrates behavioural activities from tricks like sitting to shaking. While tails are wagging and tongues are lolling, volunteers then harness-up the pups and take them on a 30 minute walk around the property—repeating the procedure until all of the scheduled dogs for that shift complete their walk. 

Investing time into training their volunteers is one of the CHS’s priorities, and as Piotrowski sees it, this is not just because they want to ensure that the volunteer is a beneficial asset to the shelter—but to also offer them with a well-rounded education about what it takes to be a responsible pet owner. 

“There’s been a lot of times where our volunteers will adopt somebody that they fell in love with because of their volunteer role,” said Piotrowski. “It’s a great way to prepare someone that may have little to no experience with animals.”

For young adults, volunteering at an animal shelter not only supports the organization but it can help to fill a pet-less void caused by the turbulence of starting a life apart from family and to also equip someone to be prepared for when they get a pet of their own once they’re in a more stable phase of life. 

“Animals are one of those things that almost everybody in the world loves and cares about,” said Piotrowski. “It’s such an easy thing to connect people with.”