After years of helping shelter animals find homes, a dedicated volunteer explains why the shelter isn't a place of heartbreak, but of hope: 'Sadness is the last thing you feel.'

Author image for Ayala Sorotsky
Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Mar 28, 2026 9:00 AM EDT

There's a special place in our hearts for the specific appreciation of animal shelter volunteers. These are people who take their love for animals to the next level, and actually help care for animals in need of a home until they find one. It's true that a lot of pets usually find their forever homes in heartwarming adoption stories, such as in the Cat Distribution System way, which we love telling you about. But some pets take more time to reach their destined loving family - and this is where animal shelter volunteers come in.

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  • No one understands this better than the shelter volunteers themselves, so us telling you about them and how important their work is, isn't going to make the same impact as them addressing you directly. So this is why we felt such happiness when we read this open letter from a long-time shelter volunteer, who also adopted their own cat from the shelter, addressing the animal-loving community online and trying to encourage them to volunteer themselves. They tell about their experiences, and try to alleviate some of the fears people might have about starting to volunteer at their local shelter.

  • 01
    [OC] Hi! I want to encourage people to volunteer with animals. I'd love to share my experience volunteering at a small local animal shelter with you. I'll include that in the body of this post.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 02
    ↓ (This girl right here is my own cat who I ended up adopting through the shelter I volunteer at.)
    via Lijey_Cat
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    Cheezburger Image 10618463744
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  • 04
    Last week I was sitting in the shelter, I thought you know what? I bet I could encourage more people to help out with these little animals who just need our love.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 05
    I want to offer a perspective that isn't always so readily available. I volunteer at a small local shelter as someone who comes into just socialize the animals. It means everything to me. I want to share my joy with you.
    via Lijey_Cat

  • Before we officially let the open letter start, we wanted to add our own experience to the mix:

    A few months ago, right before winter, our entire team did a one-day volunteering event at the local shelter next to our office. We met with absolutely amazing human beings who are so dedicated to saving animals, and helping them find their forever home. There were a few dogs in need of a family, so we did a whole social media campaign to get them adopted. And believe us when we say - this wasn't just a happy day of volunteering, it was a heart-bursting happiness experience knowing we helped animals in need to find their fitting family. Knowing they were safe and sound before winter came along.

    We're so very proud of this experience, and we're sure any animal lover who volunteers with cats, dogs, and other pets at their local shelter will feel the same.

  • 06
    Beyond the Cage: A Volunteer's Perspective
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 07
    Every single one of them touches your heart with their fluffy little feet. I've heard a lot of people say they could never volunteer because they want to take them all home. I sincerely acknowledge that.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 08
    It's a natural reaction to want to help adorable animals in need. But let me give you a different perspective as well.
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  • 09
    These animals spend hours and hours in cages around staff that doesn't necessarily have time to shower them with love and affection. There are many animals to care for and usually not a whole lot of extra staff there to give them the affection and love they deserve while they wait for forever homes.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 10
    One of the most rewarding things about volunteering is that every animal you meet genuinely appreciates you. You're showered with love and affection. And in a way, every single one of them becomes a part of your heart in the long term. You get to watch them grow, thrive, and then eventually find that forever home.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 11
    It's not like you think, where you think you're going to feel sad that you'll never see that animal again. Not at all. I have volunteered for 8 years now and I have never felt sad to see anyone get adopted. If anything,
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 12
    it's one of the most rewarding and hopeful things you'll ever feel. When you watch that little one get so excited to see their new family, you just feel so incredibly excited for them. Their emotions become your own.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 13
    I think there are a lot of misconceptions that people think they'll be sad. But I just want to give you some insight on that. Sadness is the last thing you feel. Joy and excitement are more appropriate.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 14
    Especially knowing that you were one of the people who got to help bring these little ones comfort and joy along their journey to find those permanent forever homes.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 15
    Consider being a volunteer. All these animals want is your love. And at the end of the day, you'll never regret giving them that.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 16
    Any tears you cry will be happy tears as you watch those little ones get adopted. Like last Thursday, I just watched three of our little ones walk out the door to their forever homes. And I'm just so happy for them.
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  • 17
    Happy that I got to be in their lives even though it was temporary. Because without people like us, I don't even want to think about what would happen to these guys.
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  • 18
    Volunteers are so much more important than you think. If you are interested in learning how to help, please reach out to your local shelters.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 19
    Sometimes volunteering is as little as just a few hours a week, and it makes all the difference.
    via Lijey_Cat
  • 20
    Written with my raw emotion, love, and sincerity. - Me.( A long-term shelter volunteer)
    via Lijey_Cat

  • We're very touched by this volunteer's letter. And we're very happy to share these thoughts - because if we helped their words reach further, to more people who needed to hear them, we feel like we did our part. At least for now. Because help is always needed at these animal shelters, and we're sure to return and volunteer in our local one for many more days.

    If you were sitting and just looking for a sign to go and volunteer your time to animals in need - look at this as what you've been waiting for. Go and contact your local shelter. Love the animals who need some extra love. We're so proud of you.

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shelter adoption cat adoption animal rescue adopted cat rescue volunteer animal shelter animals rescue
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