ST. JOHNSBURY- At Kingdom Kats, there is a volunteer opportunity’s that may be the cat’s meow for animal lovers.
The Kingdom Animal Shelter, also known as Kingdom Kats, is very short on help of morning volunteers, and they are looking people to staff the shelter in the mornings.
The Kingdom Animal Shelter is an all volunteer organization, that thieves on it’s team of devoted helpers. With a little training the tasks of feeding the cats, cleaning the cages, and changing the bedding can become routine and take only a few hours to complete. There are other positions that require a different skill set such as fundraising and event planning, adoption counseling and paper work, and evening truck in which includes feeding and medicating the cats according to needs between the hours of 4 and 7.
Helpers should be at least 18 years old, exceptions can be made if children and their parents can both commit to the organization. The shelter requires a 6 month commitment once you have signed on to assist them. If you’re interested volunteering or just checking out what the shelter is all about, the best time to visit the shelter is during their adoption hours Monday-Thursday 4-6 or Saturday and Sunday 12-3. The Kingdom Animal Shelter is located at 1664 Memorial Drive in Saint Johnsbury Center, just down the street from the Green Mountain Mall.
Volunteering is proven to help your community, as well as your health. A study put on by The Corporation for National and Community Service says that there are physical and mental benefits to volunteering and helping their community due to the personal sense of accomplishment that individual gains from there services. A Duke University study found that people who volunteer after experiencing a heart attack reported reductions in depression and despair. Volunteering helps improve a person’s work skills, helps develop their social base, and creates a sense of community.
The Kingdom Animal Shelter helps the community of Saint Johnsbury specifically by helping kittens and cats find good homes. Rod Lauman, a board member at the shelter says “It helps the community in the respect that without the shelter there would be a lot of stray cats around, there would be a population problem, which there is anyways without the shelter but we are able to help the ones the we can find homes. That is maybe the main purpose of the shelter. “
With the season of giving right around the corner, it may be worth considering adopting a cat. The cat will be happy to have a great home of it’s own with a family that loves him. There are also many studies proving the health benefits to owning a cat such as lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, allergy development, stress, anxiety, and depression, and much more. Owning a pet can ultimately increase a person’s lifespan by decreasing loneliness and increasing mood. “The studies say you live two to three years longer if you have a pet then if you don’t have a pet” Lauman continues, “They certainly are a lot of fun, and they really add a lot to your life, as far as a companion animal. Cats and dogs really, but cats just have their way, and you know, you learn to live with them. They give you a lot back too”
The shelter currently has a full house, with great cats of all ages, just waiting to come home with a great family and a proper home. In order to adopt, the Kingdom Animal Shelter asks a few standard questions about your home and animal history in order to ensure the best fit for their cats.
All the cats from the shelter require a 145 dollar donation to adopt, and includes spay/neuter and shots. The shelter has a fall in love kitten special happening for a limited time, which allows to adopt two kittens for 222 dollars.
To find out more about the shelter or adopting a new furry friend visit www.Kingdomanimalshelter.com