I am a volunteer dog walker with Pet Project Foundation. Pet Project Foundation supports the San Clemente/Dana Point Animals Shelter by raising all the funds needed to keep this shelter up and running as a pro-humane shelter. I have been volunteering for 4 years and love the work we do with all the animals, dogs, cats, and rabbits. The shelter, along with the help of Pet Project Foundation has a 99% adoption rate of all the animals. As a dog walker volunteer, we walk all the dogs, train them, and give them lots of love while they find their loving forever homes. The volunteers that are a part of Pet Project Foundation, over 300 of them, do a wonderful job of helping with animals, events, and getting the word out about what Pet Project Foundation does. Pet Project Foundation, which is an all volunteer, nonprofit, works very hard to continue to save animals and raise funds.
I am just one of many (maybe a hundred or so) volunteers who gives of their free time each week at the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter. Our reward is watching a dog's tail wagging furiously along with a big doggie "smile" when they realize they are next to be taken out of their kennel. This is our reward. This is how we are paid. When one of our dogs is adopted the shelter sends a picture to all the volunteers of that dog and the adopting family. You can see from the picture the dog realizes this is his new owner and he is about to go "home". It is a wonderful feeling for all of us!
Mike McCoy
I have been a volunteer since 1996. I love our shelter, all it has done to promote animal welfare and compassion. Volunteering over the years has given me not only personal satisfaction in that I am making a difference, but has taught me the art of caring for animals who are no longer cared for by others. Though I often think I've seen it all and cannot see anything else, I stay because of what our shelter does. We are dedicated, have an amazing group of volunteers and a wonderful trainer who not only works with every animal in need, but appreciates the volunteers who could do something else with their time and choose to help the Pet Project Foundation.
Turko' mom
San Clemente CA
I have been a volunteer dog walker for Pet Project Foundation for 18 months. It has been a great experience so far. Shelter staff and PPF volunteers are great to work with. Everybody cares deeply for the animals and wants to make their stay at the shelter as positive as possible. The dogs are not only sheltered, fed and medically cared for, but they are walked, played with and loved by the volunteers on a daily basis, until their forever family comes along. No matter how long that takes. On a personal level, I have learned more about training dogs from our extremely dedicated dog trainer than I ever could have hoped for.
I am a volunteer at the Dana Point-San Clemente Animal Shelter. I love being there and helping with the animals. When the dogs come in, we know they are safe, fed and taken care of until they find there forever home. The people I work with are amazing and caring. PPF does a great job of supporting and caring for the animals.
Everyone who works at the shelter really goes out of their way to provide comprehensive care to the animals. The shelter often has open kennels and makes an effort to fill them with animals from other high-kill shelters! Also, the dog trainer is fantastic!!! She is very experienced and truly cares for each dog individually. I am a volunteer and in my experience, there are many dedicated and long term volunteers, which I think says a lot in itself.
I was searching for a way to help animals and meet people. I was very fortunate to find a shelter that worked with Pet Project Foundation. This charity greatly impacts the lives of animals, daily. I've seen this first hand. PPF makes sure healthy pets are placed with the correct family. Without PPF our shelter could NEVER save this many pets.
This organization and the pro-humane shelter (with a 98% placement rate for homeless animals) it supports are an asset to the communities they serve. The care for animals and their future is a top priority and it shows in the commitment of the dedicated volunteers who are members of Pet Project Foundation.
The Dana Point/San Clemente Animal Shelter is a special place for homeless and abandoned animals and Pet Project Foundation seems to be the backbone of the "extra" funding and staffing that allows the Shelter to have such successful adoption outcomes. As a long time resident of Dana Point, I had adopted a couple of family pets from the shelter over the years. About three years ago, I decided to volunteer in the "Cat Room". I found that a new cat facility had been recently built thanks to generous Pet Project Foundation donors. Suites have big windows so cats can watch the world and each suite holds several cats to support socialization. Cats have their own perches and cubbies, blankets, toys, scratching posts, cat boxes, food bowls etc. Two or more PPF volunteers are actively involved with the cats many hours of each day. "Difficult" cats have specially trained volunteers to help them learn to trust; cats who seem interested in roaming are trained by PPF volunteers to walk on a leash. Volunteers who enjoy working with the public help individuals and families find the best "match" for their lifestyles. I have been amazed that every cat--senior cats, hospice cats, shy cats, loud and demanding cats-- finds a home! Pet Project Foundation members are a wonderful group of people who care about animals and help people find their perfect animal companions.
It's wonderful to work with a group of people who want the best possible life for animals. Many of our animals are taken from another shelter's euthanasia list. They are treated medically and cuddled to reassure them they're safe. After socializing and training they most often quickly find their forever home. Some are fostered by volunteers. It always a joyful day to watch one meet just the right people. Animals that have found their way to us get cared for and loved ( some for the first time)
Because of PPF many dogs are able to be rehomed from bleak situations to forever families. Volunteer time and donations make saving dogs that are discarded at kill shelters get a chance with medical treatment and training
I became a Volunteer after helping my long term friend find a cat. She had many before, but lost them all to old age. She had visited many "pet store locations" but was never successful . It was such a joy to help her find her new best friend at the San Clemente location Shelter . Everyone was very friendly and helpful. In no time at all they bonded as a happy family. I was so moved that I had to continue this joyfull process where I come one morning a week to visit and play with the resident cats and kitties and find joy as others find their new best friend. Great staff and other Volunteers! I have a rescue dog who is the love of my life and encourage others to welcome one or more into their life. It will bring you much joy.
I love volunteering at the shelter. There are so many caring people who work so hard. I've adopted two very sweet dogs through the shelter.
We adopted Cher, a yellow labrador, from the San Clemente/Dana Point Animals shelter 2 years ago. We love this dog!! We have renamed her Princess Buttercup, Buttercup for short! The adoption process was very thorough. I saw Buttercup at the shelter and had an interaction. The process is for the entire family to meet the animal (dog, cat, or rabbit) and if you have animals, they need to meet and greet also! So I brought my husband and two dogs back to interact with Buttercup. Needless to say it was a match! The volunteers at this shelter are fantastic. Well versed in what they were doing, shelter management was friendly and helpful. Buttercup was spayed, microchipped, had all her shots and we were able to give this dog a loving home. Buttercup is the most wonderful dog and we are so grateful to the volunteers, management, Pet Project Foundation who funds the shelter, for all they do.
We adopted our dog Riley through Pet Project Foundation and it was a wonderful experience. We worked with their professional trainer Esther who provides adoption counseling. She helped us figure out if he was a good fit into our family. She helped introduce Riley to our other dog and helped make sure that there was no issue between them. The love that the volunteers have for the animals in their care is so obvious. It was clear that they were very attached to Riley (known to them as Binx) and they were so happy to see him find a home but sad to see him go. I know that he benefit from the walks, training and socialization that they provided. The office staff was polite and friendly with great customer service. It is a great place to adopt a fur kid!!