— Photo courtesy Nancy Gardner ©
The City Council honored Newport Beach Animal Shelter volunteers for their service to homeless pets and the community at its Nov. 19 meeting.
About 400 to 500 animals annually arrive at the shelter and the volunteers help clean, launder, walk dogs, and provide comfort to lonely animals, Animal Control Supervisor Valerie Schomburg said. The volunteer program has also donated 4,400 man-hours to the City over the last four years.
“They help us and provide extra love to the animals that we don’t have time to give,” Schomburg said.
Volunteers also help with the success of getting animals adopted by getting the word out to their family and friends.
“We couldn’t operate a shelter without volunteers,” Schomburg said. “They are part of our team. They come in seven days a week, including all holidays.”
In addition to the time they spend with animals, volunteers have also donated over $25,000 to Friends of the Newport Beach Animal Shelter to provide additional medical care and other special provisions for needy animals.
Often the volunteer program is just as beneficial to the participating humans as the animals, Schomburg said. Some volunteers have a pet that recently died while others want to help but don’t want the full-time responsibility of owning an animal.
“It’s just a win for everybody and the animals,” she said.
For more information, visit fonbas.org.
