We are always looking for people to join our volunteer family here at Greyhound Rescue.
Volunteers form the foundation of everything we do, and we are always grateful for more help.
Our amazing team of helpers assists us day after day, both at Greysland, our Rescue Facility on Sydney’s southern rural fringe, and remotely. We’d be lost without them, yet every single one of them agrees that the experience actually helps them as much as it does us.
The joy of volunteering with us is a holistic one, combining physical effort with mental relaxation and a lasting feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself.
In a physical sense, typical kennel shifts include dog walking, food preparation and cleaning, which often amounts to a great workout, as well as happy hounds!
Newcomers are also astonished by the soul-soothing effects of spending few hours with these beautiful animals, reporting a sense of calm, increased clarity and gratitude, and a lack of anxiety following their time at Greysland.
For some, it seems as though a shift is as good as a holiday, offering much-needed downtime, outside of one’s head. For long-time volunteer Shelley, volunteering is akin to therapy. ‘Volunteering at Greyhound Rescue has been essential to my mental health, especially over the past few years’ she says.
‘Spending time with these incredible houndies and the humans who care for them lets you forget your worries and remember what’s really important.’
Kali agrees: ‘With university and work, I get so stressed. But whenever I come to the rescue, I get so relaxed and feel like I’ve just had a holiday! The dogs are always so beautiful and it’s amazing to see them grow’.
Any time with hounds is time well spent, and being a part of each dog’s amazing journey – often from petrified to relaxed and ultimately ready for their forever home – is what keeps our volunteers returning again and again.
‘I absolutely love my shifts volunteering at Greyhound Rescue!’ says Amanda. ‘Being part of such a caring team of likeminded volunteers and watching these beautiful hounds come out of their shell and transition to pet life while experiencing their unconditional love is a highlight of my week.’
If you’re interested in volunteering with us, you will need to:
· Be relatively fit
· Be available for at least one shift per month
· Commit to the shifts you have agreed to, communicating any changes or cancellation in advance (where possible)
· Have a love of greyhounds and a commitment to their welfare.
You’ll meet wonderful like-minded people along the way, building friendships, having a laugh and learning a lot as you go.
If you’re interested in joining us, simply apply here. It’s a decision you’ll be glad you made. As new volunteer Jon put it: ‘My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner!’
Can’t volunteer but want to help? Why not consider becoming a sponsor? Click here to learn more about our Help A Hound program.