Website of the UK government

What you can do

Volunteering to work with animals can be a hobby or give you the confidence and skills to help you change career. Opportunities include:

Think about the level of commitment you are willing to provide. Looking after animals can be hard, physical work and you may need some training. For example, if you want to work as a volunteer at a local wildlife rescue centre you should be able to recognise the symptoms of sick animals and request specialised help. The majority of animal rescue centres will not expect you to be an animal specialist, but a desire to learn and a love of animals will always help you.

You can also volunteer for non-animal jobs within an animal or wildlife charity. For example, many charities need help with organising events or with photography and fund-raising initiatives.

For a full range of volunteering ideas, contact the charity of your choice or visit Do-it, the national database of volunteering opportunities in the UK.

• Find a volunteering opportunity near you on the 'Do-it' website Opens new window
• Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Opens new window
• Volunteering England website Opens new window
• Timebank website Opens new window

Case studies

One of the best ways to find out about volunteering is to read case studies of people who already provide their time.

Cats protection

After finding a stray cat in their garden Jo and Julian got involved with the North Herts branch of Cats Protection. They developed a website, which provides photos and information that helps re-home cats.

Jo says: 'Finding the time to volunteer can be a big consideration for a lot of people, and I don't have much spare time left in between running a business and volunteering. But I think a lot of people could find a spare hour or so a week, as there are many types of volunteering opportunities available.'

• North Herts Cats Protection website Opens new window

Dog socialising

Alison started volunteering at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home after the death of her identical twin Margaret from breast cancer last year. She says volunteering has helped her cope with Margaret's death, and has helped in her recovery from the depression it caused.

"I feel so much better after I have been with the dogs - it's hard to be miserable once you've been around them. And dog-walking is good exercise too - which also helps depression," she says.

Alison volunteers twice a week at Battersea, and this has led to her volunteering for other organisations, in addition to working part-time. She says that although working with the animals is a major benefit to her, she has also found that mixing with other people at Battersea has helped her recovery.

More useful links

• Support and assistance dogs (disabled people section)
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Opens new window
• The Blue Cross Opens new window
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Opens new window
• The British Horse Society Opens new window