Did you know that you can walk dogs and play with cats at your local animal shelter? It's a great way to work out, find a new friend, and give back to your community — all without paying for a gym membership.
When I started volunteering at my local shelter, I naively asked the staff: "How do you get all the dogs out in the morning to potty?" I was stunned to learn that it's common for shelter dogs to wait — sometimes several hours — to pee, poop, sleep, or eat until somebody on staff can get to them. Shelters are understaffed. Volunteers are the difference between a humane experience and a barely-acceptable one.
That moment was the perfect transition for me. I'd just lost a pet and wasn't ready to commit to another one full-time. Walking shelter dogs gave me the joy of being around animals without the lifetime commitment to one specific dog. (Spoiler: I ended up adopting one anyway. Most volunteers do.)
What you actually do
The shelter trains you on:
- Leash skills — both yours and theirs. Many shelter dogs have never walked on a leash; you teach them.
- Body language — reading stress signals, knowing when a dog wants more or wants space.
- Behavior basics — sit, stay, "leave it" — small wins that make a dog more adoptable.
- Safety — for the dog, for you, and for other walkers on the trail.
The schedule is flexible. Most shelters have morning, afternoon, and evening shifts. You sign up for what works for you. There's no penalty for missing a week. It's the rare volunteer commitment built around the volunteer's schedule, not the org's.
What it does for the dogs
Every shelter dog needs three things daily: exercise, bathroom breaks outside the kennel, and human contact. Without volunteers, they get the bare minimum. With volunteers, they get the kind of stimulation that keeps them adoptable. Dogs that stay social, well-walked, and trained get adopted faster. Dogs that don't get those things deteriorate behaviorally, which makes adoption harder, which extends their stay, which makes deterioration worse. The loop is brutal. Volunteers break it.
What it does for you
In honest order:
- Cardio. A 45-minute walk with an enthusiastic 60-pound dog is a workout. You'll skip the gym after a week.
- Stress reset. Shelters smell weird and look sad on day one. By month three, they smell like the part of your week you look forward to.
- Perspective. Whatever email made you mad this morning will look small after two hours with a dog whose biggest problem is whether they get an extra biscuit.
- Possibly a new family member. The shelter doesn't pressure you to adopt. You will adopt one anyway. It's fine. We all do.
If dog walking isn't your thing
Shelters need much more than dog walkers:
- Cat socializers — for the cat room. Easier than walking dogs. Still meaningful.
- Front desk help — greeting visitors, processing adoptions, answering phones.
- Foster homes — see Save Two Lives at Once by Fostering.
- Remote work — blogging, social media, video editing of adoptable-pet videos, grant-writing.
- Transport — driving animals to/from vet appointments or partner shelters.
Match the skill to the role. The shelter has somebody who'll meet you where you are.
Where to start
- NKLA — No-Kill Los Angeles coalition; serves the LA basin
- Best Friends Animal Society — national network with chapters everywhere
- Your municipal shelter — every city has one and they're usually the most under-volunteered
Gratitude beat
Thanks to every shelter volunteer who came before me and to the staff who trained me when I had no business being trusted with a 70-pound German Shepherd mix. To my first shelter dog, who taught me how to read leash tension — thank you. You retired to a great forever home. I hope they still take you on the long hikes.
Skip the gym next Saturday. Head over to your local shelter and walk a dog.