What are rescue volenteers actually there to do?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Well she has told me of another cat that needs catching, so I may have a word with her and offer to do something about that. I'll see what she says.

I could say I would only want to volenteer my time for the trapping side and only to contact me regarding that. I could not work personailly with the animals, I fall in love too quick!

[Desley (booktigger)]

I would speak to your local rescue to see what they do need doing, sometimes there might not be a lot of trapping needed, but collecting cats and taking it to the rescue, or little things like updating internet pages. My 'job description' was described as 'jack of all trades' this weekend!! Since Saturday, I have been looking after the fosters, fundraising, going to the cash and carry to take advantage of an offer, taking phone calls, updating CC and checking e-mail account, liaising with fosterers and rescue, e-mailing people to drum up support for next fundraiser and probably some other stuff (well, I did deal with a lost puppy on Sat)

[Millys Mum]

Ferals are definately rewarding  best thing to do CC is speak to your lady and see what area/areas she needs help in and then you can have a ponder as to what would suit you best

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I have trapped a feral cat before he is now happy in a home, this is why I would like to do this. We sat out for 3 nights last winter in the car waiting and hoping, nothing happened. We caught a few other cats of course and had to lure them away with sardines, I think the shock of the trap made them not return 

But finally he did come round and he was trapped. I was so overjoyed I cried. From knowing how used to live and seeing him now makes me very happy. He is coming on leaps and bounds. He has been in his forever home for over 2 years now, and if I did not have the time or effort he would still be on the streets most likely.

He was a stray living at my old address and when I had moved out I still went round for a month every night to feed him. So I know when something matters I have the dedication to keep on.

I love animals and would just like to be able to help in some way and make a little difference to those lost kittys lives.

[Mark]

I agree with Pete. Trapping is probably the last thing if time is limited. Julie is a dedicated traper and sometimes t can mean camping out. Depending on where it is, often there has to be someone on hand when the trap goes as it could be dangerous for a cat to be trapped somewhere dodgy people could take advantage. Also traps have a habit of trapping the wrong cats, hedgehogs etc and someone needs to be there to set them free.

[Beanie]

Hi CC,

As Mark says - any help is help and the rescues work around what is available.

Of all the jobs, I believe that trapping is the most difficult and time consuming. On that basis it may not fit your lifestyle bearing in mind family committments. Nevertheless, don't take that as read and check details with your local rescue.

I have learned one hell of a lot from a friend - Lynn- who traps for Katz Castle as it is a steep learning line and, I believe, the most devoted and difficult job in animal rescue. Those folk have my total unreserved respect, as they have to deal with so many different situations with people, the terrain, the weather and deciding on strategy which is a whole subject in itself.

Lynn helped me with a very difficult trap of a semi-feral cat. It involved going into the City of London over 5 weekends and using a manual trap because of width restrictions in using an automatic. Lynn's experience had put her in similar situations before and her manual trap is a modified rabbit hutch. It is narrower than factory made automatic trap and we sat it close to the ground grille under which Katie lived, which was inaccessible to human beings. You can see Katie on the picture site; she is now a devoted loving house cat who is not keen on going out.

Please don't think that I am an experienced trapper. That could not be further from the truth.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I would not like to do the phone, I have a phobia of it lol I suppose I could go around collecting things (like a womble lol) I have my own transport.

I would really like to be on the cat trapping side, I find this rewarding.

I thought the people who homecheck are the fosters or do others do that?

What goes on in the fundraising side? I have never seen anyone in the sreet like the others collceting.

I will have a word with the lady tomorrow.

[Mark]

There are some other jobs like manning the phones which usually means checking the answerphone several times in the day and getting back to people, advising or liasing with other volunteers. It's not cut and dried like a 9-5 with the RSPCA or similar. Some weeks, all I do is the phone on Thursdays and don't get asked to do anything else. This Thursday though which was unusual, I took a call, ended up picking the cat up, taking it to the vet, waiting for vacs and bloods tests and then taking it to the cattery. If I had my camera with me that day, no doubt I would have taken pictures too. Sometimes it a case of one of the coordinators emailing a few people and seeing if someone is available  or nearby. I don't get to do as much as I would like since I started uni but rescues usually work around people and their other commitments.

Basically, any help is help. One important thing is if someone agrees to do something, is that they follow through - obviously things come up at the last minute and sometimes you might have to ask if someone else is available to do something - but generally, being reliable is the main thing as the cats depend on us. The list is endless. One volunteer I havenb't met goes to collect bulk food. Some others do fundraising - a job I wouldn't want to do  . Some people collect bits for the fairs or even make toys or blankets. The list is endless.

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Well yes I would like to help but have limited time on my hands, I have young children and also my own animals to care for first. But yes I would like to be able to help in some way.

I am more interested in the trapping and neuter side, I have done this with a few cats and found it very rewarding knowing they have been neutered and not causing unwanted litters at least.

I dont think I could personalily work with the cats as I would get too emotional about them. I know a bond of trust has to be made but I cant seem to controll my emotions, and I think this would be unhealthy for me to do.

Thanks Pete 

[Beanie]

The simple answer is that there is no real job description. People help in different ways, often based on experience or on what time they can offer. Forinstance the real stalwarts at the sharp end go out in all weathers to rescue. This can be by way of advising people how to get stray or neglected cats into their home, so that they are safe and can be checked for microchip, ID, etc. The idea is that it is far simpler to take them into care if necessary from an enclosed area than from the open spacesoutside. Alternatively, traps of either a manual or automatic nature will be set in the gardens and trappers often stay for hours in the hope that a hungry, starving or sick animal will come for the food, etc.

At the other end the catteries may have volunteers fielding telephone calls or maintaining cleanliness in the cattery i.e cleaning litter trays and washing soiled bedding, putting out clean litter and trays and litter,etc. It amy also involve feeding. Other duties may involve socialising the cats who come into care or looking after the cats who are quarantined firts to ensure that they do not bring infection to the other cats.

The rescue may need transportation i.e bringing cats in, taking them to new owners, people to do house checks or to organise fund-raising. The rescue may ask for help with paperwork - accounts, volunteer organisation, etc.

It is up to the rescue owner what he/she would like people to do and try to match jobs with their skills. Naturally, proper procedures must be enforced at all times to ensure no escape of cats and people have to be trusted to follow that religiously. This is why some catteries are even more careful when children ask to help.

In practice, volunteers manage many different things.

Some rescues are small and operate from people's homes, so would not have so many helpers. This is usually the case with many small independent rescues but often the Cat Protecton branc catteries come into this category. In thi spart of the world it is usual for the cattery to be at someone's home. It is mainly th elarge charities like CP, Blue Cross and RSPCA who have dedicated commercila owned / operated centres.

Are you looking to help a rescue?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

I mean what is in the job description?

I know some help out immensely by fostering, doing homechecks, picking cats up and traveling etc but what do the day to day volunteers do?

Also I am understanding my local rescue does not have a centre as such but work from their own homes. Is this the norm with most rescues/