Volunteer
Volunteers of the month
December’s volunteer of the month is Karen Borrelli!
Karen began volunteering at Second Chance on October 19th. Karen recently moved to Plano from Upstate New York to be closer to her 2 granddaughters. Being new to the area, Karen had a lot of free time and looked for opportunities near her. She found Second Chance and knew it was the place for her! Karen loves animals and misses her dog back in New York. Karen loves the time she spends at Second Chance and we appreciate her spending her free time here!
Karen is a huge help with daily tasks around the shelter. She cleans, feeds, and loves our animals. She often comes in the evenings and helps with closing activities. When all housekeeping tasks are complete, she loves to walk the dogs to the nearby park. When it is too dark to walk or the weather does not cooperate, she likes to pet and play with the dogs inside their cages.
Karen has lived her whole life in Rochester, New York. The majority of her family, friends and her dog still reside there. Her son Ryan and his wife moved to Dallas 8 years ago. Her first granddaughter was born 3 years ago and her second was born 3 months ago. She decided it was time to make the move to Texas. Karen plans to spend the majority of the winter months in Texas and the summer months back in Upstate New York. Karen has worked in the finance department of a law firm for 30 years. They let her work remotely from Texas and New York.
Karen enjoys running outside, spin class and going to the gym. Her favorite indoor activities are cooking and baking, especially on the weekends. Karen’s Sundays are reserved for church and football, her favorite team being the Green Bay Packers. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with my family and friends! She is blessed to have a close-knit family and a wonderful circle of friends!
Karen’s 8 year old dog is a rescue. His name is Nico. Her daughter found him online at a shelter in Syracuse, NY. His litter came up from Atlanta at 5 weeks old! Karen thinks he is part Golden Retriever and part Rhodesian Ridgeback. He has a little bit of anxiety but she loves him to death!
“I enjoy spending my time with the dogs. I love to pet them and play with them. I find it so rewarding to bring them joy and love on them! They are so sweet and pure! I think it is apparent that my very favorite thing to do is walk the dogs to the park. They love to sniff everything and explore the park. I run with some of the more energetic dogs. I look forward to my time at the shelter each week and find it very rewarding!”
We truly could not run our shelter without our amazing and compassionate volunteers!
Volunteering with Second Chance SPCA is a rewarding experience but is also a demanding role and should be taken seriously. To ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and animals, volunteers must meet the qualifications listed below.
- Volunteers are required to be 16 years old or older
- Volunteers are required to volunteer a minimum of 4 hours per month
- Volunteers are required to commit to 50 hours per year
- Volunteers are required to pay a one-time administrative fee of $30 – This includes a shirt that you will wear when volunteering
- Volunteers must wear closed-toed shoes
- Volunteers must complete the Volunteer application, and sign all release forms
- Volunteers must attend an orientation prior to any volunteering
- Volunteers must work with an experienced volunteer for 2 shifts, before volunteering on their own. We do have limited spots available for new volunteers so that they can be properly trained.
- Quick reflexes and ability to use both hands simultaneously (example: open cage door while handling animal).
- Ability to walk unaided on unpaved, uneven, rugged and sometimes muddy and slippery areas (when walking dogs outdoors).
- Ability to stand for significant periods of time while walking dogs, assisting the public with visits, or cleaning cages/kennels.
- Average vision to move safely around the building, to be able to observe animal body language without difficulty and to be able to read notes.
- Average sense of smell and touch in order to assess condition of animals, and to note signs of illness or injury.
- Ability to hear if an animal is growling or making sounds indicating fear or pain.
- Ability to speak and effectively communicate verbally.
- Ability to maneuver well in tight spaces and react and move quickly to prevent dogs or cats from escaping.
- Ability to handle and restrain animals with extreme caution and care.
- Ability to deal with strong and unpleasant odors, fleas, feces and possible wounds or injuries to animals in our care.
- Ability to cope with a loud environment due to animal noises.
- Average strength to assist with lifting animals or items.
- Ability to understand, retain and follow instructions and procedures.
- The ability to judge an animal’s reaction and to change voice to a soft or strong, authoritative tone to calm a dog or to give commands.
- Must be aware of surroundings when working with the animals. Can remain calm with animals who are upset; behave sensitively and confidently; show good judgment and act appropriately in these situations.
- Once trained, must be able to work independently with minimal supervision, and recognize limitations in knowledge and abilities, and ask for help when needed.
- Must have the ability to work as a team member with other volunteers and take direction from SCSPCA Shift Leaders and Staff.
They help and give attention to the animals.
You may do that after you are finished with your volunteering work!
Just like the rest of us!
Please note: You must complete the orientation and sign the form at the shelter before you sign up for a time.
If you have any questions regarding the volunteer application, please email us at volunteer@secondchancespca.org or call us at 972-424-0077.