Volunteers make a crucial contribution to the Richmond SPCA’s work, assisting our organization in every department. In our our animal care department, volunteers help ensure each dog and cat not only has clean, warm bedding, but also lots of love and affection while awaiting adoption in our humane center. One of the ways in which volunteers help homeless pets at the Richmond SPCA is through our Running Buddies Program, sponsored by The HelpDesk Company.
Three times each week, dogs awaiting adoption at our Robins-Starr Humane Center have the opportunity to go on a 5K walk or run with a group of dedicated volunteers, who we call Running Buddies. These volunteers combine their love of running and love for animals in a way that benefits both the dog and their own fitness goals. Our Running Buddies not only give the dogs at the Richmond SPCA additional time out of their kennels, but they also provide them with a great form of exercise, mental stimulation and socialization.
The dogs in our care enjoy every aspect of Running Buddies. When the volunteers get out their leashes, the dogs’ eyes light up. When the run or walk begins, there’s definitely a spring in their step and, believe it or not, a smile on their faces. And when the dogs return to our humane center after a nice, long 3.1 mile run or walk, there are warm beds for them to curl up in for a mid-morning nap. When the adoption center opens at 11 a.m., these dogs are well-exercised and ready to meet potential adopters.
All of our Running Buddies are volunteers who give up their weekend mornings entirely to benefit the animals in our care. While it’s also a great form of exercise for the volunteer, the joy of Running Buddies lies in the satisfaction of giving the dog an opportunity to be a dog. The dogs get a chance to run and to see and smell new things. They get a chance to bond with these volunteers, and that makes waiting for a lasting adoptive home much more enjoyable.
Our Running Buddies program continues to grow thanks to the support of very hard-working and dedicated volunteers at the Richmond SPCA. Volunteers like the Running Buddies help make the homeless animals’ time at our humane center a little brighter while waiting to find permanent, loving homes.
For more information on the Richmond SPCA’s Running Buddies program, please visit our Running Buddies page at www.richmondspca.org/running.
Shane Clements is the Richmond SPCA's volunteer and programs assistant. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.
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