Volunteering is a way to feed your soul and give back to causes that you believe in. With so many opportunities in the Killeen area there is something for everyone, from Soldier focused organizations to saving trees and it only takes a quick on line search to find something that you can participate in. Since I’m an animal lover and parent of many four legged furbabies , I’ve focused on two opportunities that are near and dear to my heart. Local city run animal shelters aka “the pound” and the largest no kill shelter in the area, Second Chance Animal Shelter run by the CenTex Humane Society.
While both groups assist abandoned pets in finding new homes, Second Chance located on Clear Creek Road is the only one that will not put a pet to sleep and receives dozens of calls a day from people needing to drop a dog or cat off. We can debate the issue of neutering and spaying pets but it doesn’t help the ones that are already in need of good homes and that is where Second Chance steps in. Their fostering program is one way to volunteer. Puppies, kittens, dogs and cats of all ages and sizes need safe places to live until the shelter can find them forever homes. If you love pets and can offer them a safe place for a short time, this could be a way for you to volunteer from your home. Second Chance also needs volunteers to clean cages, walk dogs, play with the animals in the shelter to help them stay socialized and ready when their forever home comes calling. If you want to help and don’t have time to spend at the shelter or the space to offer a foster home environment , consider donating items that they need to keep the animals safe. Check out their website for a list of items continuously needed www.centexhumanesociety.com or give them a call 254-526-6200. Be sure to check out their list of upcoming events and help bring awareness to their fundraisers and adoption days.
While item donations are the primary way you can assist your local city run animal shelters aka “the pound” as some city run shelters have rules against volunteers assisting, there are no rules against publicizing animals that are already listed on the city websites on your social networking site. By bringing awareness to the animals, you could be the catalyst for helping a pet find their new owner. If you prefer to donate items, call your city pound and ask what they need but a good rule of thumb is they are always running low on the obvious needs: kitten, puppy, cat and dog food (some shelters stick to specific brands so call to verify before purchasing) cat litter, bowls, litter boxes, collars, towels and blankets. The Killeen shelter does allow volunteers and appreciates all the help they can get. Check out their website www.ci.killeen.tx.us for more information or call 254-526-4455.
Having a heart larger than my house, I personally can’t spend more than an hour in Second Chance or one of the local pounds without adopting a new fur baby , which I’ve done on multiple occasions and now have 6 animals at home. Knowing my limitations on space and still being fortunate enough to be able to donate items to Second Chance and local pounds in Killeen and Harker Heights, I guarantee that you won’t leave either location without a tear in your eye for the plight of some of these wonderful animals. It can be as simple as the next time you have blankets or towels that you no longer need or see a great sale on some at the store but don’t really need them at home, try donating them to help pets. You will be glad you did!