To do volunteer dog walking with the RSPCA?

[Whatsnewwithyou]

I've signed up to volunteer as a dig walker with the RSPCA. I have my induction in January. Does anyone else do this?

If so how do you deal with the fact that some of the dogs you walk will end up being put to sleep if no one adopts them . Do you take the dogs for their walks straight from the shelter or can you load them in your car and take then to the beach? Can you take one home for the day and then return it in the evening?

Our dog sadly died and we've decided not to get another one. AIBU to think this will give me a good chance to spend time around dogs anyway without it being too upsetting???

I volunteer with a local shelter so can’t comment on the RSPCA.
Would The Cinnamon Trust be a better fit? Walking dogs that already have homes but whose owners can’t walk them due to age/illness etc.

I looked into cinnamon trust but there's no one near.me who is signed up. And I like the idea of helping shelter dogs have a fun day out.

The website doesn’t show all cases. Just highlights a few. The dog I walked never made it onto the map.
The rescue I walk dogs for you wouldn’t be able to take them for a day out. Insurance etc. They wouldn’t be able to go in your car.
A dog that never gets a walk and only ever sees the same four walls at home with a sick or elderly owner will enjoy an outing just as much.

Oh I didn't realise that the website isn't the complete list... if the RSPCA doesn't work out I'll look into it further. Shame if the dogs can't be taken in the car as there aren't many nice walks right by the shelter.

We have strict conditions about how to walk dogs. Some may be dog reactive and some may be nervous etc.

Thanks Wolfiefan. I trained my previous dog out of being nervous about walking...mostly by giving her treats as we walked so she grew to love her walks. Maybe I can do the same for some kennel dogs.

If anyone else has done volunteer dog walking I'd love to hear about it please?

I used to be a volunteer dog walker with Dogs Trust. I don't have any experience with RSPCA.

At Dogs Trust, volunteers could only take out the "easy" dogs. In general the "easy" dogs were the ones who were easily rehomed so you'd only see them once or twice beofre they were off to their new homes.

You could only walk round the fenced paddock or some dogs you could sit in a room and play with them. You could do basic training with them e.g sit, but mostly the walk was to give them a break from being in the kennel so we were to let them relax and sniff etc, and not worry about walking to heel.

Most dogs are quite stressed by being in kennels even though the kennel block and staff were nice.

Wear your old clothes as its very muddy/poopy/hairy.

There was a training course at the beginning. I found that helpful even though I already have a dog. Things like Canine Ladder of Aggression.

If you want to take dogs out in your car you'd be better off vounteering for a small private rescue centre.

I walked for the cinnmon trust. There was nothing on the map in my area but within about half an hour of emailing back the forms I had a phone call asking me to walk a dog

Sorry pressed send too soon. The cinnamon trust also rely on emergency fosterers who can look after dogs and other animals if the owner dies or is taken into hospital/care home. Sounds like this may suit you too ?

Sry forgot, Dogs Trust also have a flexible fostering programme in your home that could suit you in the future. You can block out when you're on holidays, or say you're happy to do for a couple of months and then want a break. They're always looking for dog-experienced households who don't have a dog. They cover costs/vet bills. Think they'll drop off dogs up to 1 hr from their centres.

Thanks, all. I can't really foster at the minute because I work 3 days a week (our old dog had a dog walker on those days). Dogs trust is a 30 minute drive from the house whereas RSPCA is 5 minutes so I'd prefer to walk for RSPCA dogs if possible. But if it doesn't work out I'll look into cinnamon trust and dogs trust.

I volunteered many years ago at a local/ RSPCA kennels. I expect you will just be walking dogs on site. All the dogs will need walking so if you were to take one out that leaves less people to walk all the others.

As others have said you might be better off fostering or looking at Borrow My Doggie.

Sorry didn’t see last update before posting

Definitely look into a smaller local rescue - they tend to be a lot more flexible with what you can and can’t do with their dogs. Both local rescues I support allow you to take the dogs to the beach, for example. Also they won’t put a healthy dog down!! (I’ve only known them to let literally one or two dogs go because of severe behavioural issues in the 10 years or so I’ve been involved.)

I've now found a video on YouTube about walking dogs with the RSPCA. It looks rewarding although yes it does look like you just walk the dogs on site. The woman in the video mentions shedding a tear when dogs get adopted but not about any getting pts...