Program lets youth work with animals

COLUMBUS - Caring for an animal takes a lot of time, effort and patience, but the Columbus Animal Shelter youth volunteers enjoy the work.

Jeannie Warnke, lead animal control officer, said although there have been many volunteers at the shelter over the years, this is the first year for the Youth Volunteer Program.

“There were a number of youth that wanted to volunteer at the shelter,” Warnke said, so they decided to coordinate a summer program.

The program began in June and monthly sessions are held, she said. Since the program was initiated, the animal shelter has benefited greatly.

“We get very busy during the summer months,” Warnke said, because more calls are received. With the assistance “we have been able to get a greater number of projects completed,” because the important, but more remedial, tasks can be left for the volunteers.

Volunteers in the program visit the shelter twice a week to work on different tasks, ranging from animal care, such as walking, bathing and feeding animals, to assisting with daily routine tasks, such as laundry, dishes and weed pulling.

€See SHELTER, Page 8A