NORFOLK- The Viewpoint staff went out and volunteered at the Animal Shelter of Northeast Nebraska on Tuesday, April 9. The staff also had a chance to talk to the manager of the shelter, Lisa Doescher.

Volunteering is not only good for yourself for multiple reasons, but it is also clearly a major help to the organization. “Being a nonprofit organization, salaries can cost a lot. We are minimum staffed so we rely on volunteers so that we can have as many animals and to give as good of care as we do. We can’t do this without our volunteers they are very, very, important,” Doescher said.

The process to get started is as simple as can be. The shelter just requires a signed application that just lets the employees know a little bit more about yourself and what you are interested in doing. They have volunteer positions anywhere from helping clean, janitorial stuff, walking dogs, cuddling with cats, laundry. The organization accommodates any level of ability to help them out Doescher said.

The Animal Shelter of Northeast Nebraska obtains their animals in a few ways. The local animals are usually surrendered, they might have health issues or any other reasons like that. “We also get animals from other shelters, we have done that throughout all of the United States actually. From Illinois to Texas or from just around here in the surrounding states. We do transfer places, ones that come from Texas are from high kill shelters and they are red-listed which means their time is up and if they don’t get transferred out they would be euthanized. We also help out other shelters that are overpopulated and for the animals overall well being. Basically any time someone needs help that is what we are here for,” Doescher said.

Doescher also gives many reasons why people should adopt an animal from the shelter. “The fact that they are always happy to see you. People, a husband, wife, kids, parents, anybody, they all have their bad days, it’s like animals never have their bad days, when you come home they are always happy to see you. They look to you as the person that the sun rises and sets with. The connection and love you can feel with the animals are incredible,” Doescher said.

She also talks about the fact that owning pets, especially dogs, can make people more active. They are especially good for the elderly and people that need to lose weight since they are that sense of motivation.

The shelter mainly has dogs and cats, but have had pigs, snakes, lizards, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and gerbils in the past. “Anything we can house in this facility we do,” Doescher said.

To learn more information go to https://www.animalshelternn.org.