why volunteers are essential to animal rescue work.
At Eastwood Ranch, our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our volunteers. They are the quiet heroes behind the scenes, showing up day after day with compassion, commitment, and an unwavering love for animals in need.
One such hero is Wendy, a long-time volunteer who recently opened her home and her heart to Tommy, one of our long-term rescue dogs.
Tommy arrived at Eastwood Ranch after being neglected as a puppy and into his adult life. While he was sweet and full of potential, he was shy, unsure, and slow to trust. Like many dogs who’ve experienced trauma or neglect, he needed more than food and shelter; he needed time, stability, and one-on-one attention.
That’s where Wendy stepped in.
A seasoned foster and consistent volunteer, Wendy had already made a big impact at our rescue. But when she heard about Tommy’s story, she knew she could offer him the safe home he needed to begin healing and thriving.
Wendy helped Tommy blossom. Through patience, routine, and a whole lot of love, she gave him the space to come out of his shell. He learned to trust again. He learned how to be part of a family. And with her help, Tommy went from a shy, withdrawn dog to a happy, confident companion who is now ready for his forever home.
Wendy’s story with Tommy is just one example of why volunteers are essential to animal rescue work.
Why Volunteers Matter So Much
Rescue centers like us at Eastwood Ranch operate with limited resources. The demand for help often far outweighs the staff and funding available. Nationwide, an estimated 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters every year, a number that would be impossible for staff alone to manage (ASPCA).
Volunteers fill those critical gaps—walking dogs, cleaning kennels, fostering, transporting, assisting at events. They can also contribute their unique talents in social media, fundraising, and supporting the organization’s goals and priorities. The value of this work and expertise is immense; the contributions of volunteers provide billions of dollars in labor to nonprofits across the country, allowing rescues to direct scarce funds toward medical care and other urgent needs. (Independent Sector).
Without volunteers, we simply could not care for the number of animals we do.
But beyond the practical support, volunteers bring something even more powerful: emotional healing. For animals like Tommy, human interaction is vital. They’ve often experienced neglect, abandonment, or worse. A volunteer’s gentle hand, consistent presence, and kindness can begin to rebuild that lost trust.
Fostering: A Lifeline for Shelter Animals
Fostering, in particular, is one of the most impactful ways to volunteer. When someone fosters an animal, they provide a safe, temporary home that allows that pet to decompress from the stress of the shelter. This is more critical than ever, as many shelters are facing an over-capacity crisis. In fact, a survey of over 1,000 shelters and rescues revealed that foster homes are their single most-needed form of support (Best Friends Animal Society).
Fostering gives us a chance to learn more about the animal’s personality in a home setting, which helps match them with the perfect adopter. For dogs like Tommy, foster care was life-changing. Without Wendy stepping in, Tommy might still be waiting behind a kennel door.
Volunteers Are the Heartbeat of Rescue
People like Wendy don’t volunteer for recognition. They do it because they care. They do it because they know every hour given, every walk taken, every treat offered makes a difference.
And the truth is, you don’t need to have years of experience to get involved. You’d be joining a massive and dedicated community. To give you an idea of the scale of this compassion, data from thousands of shelters shows that in a single year, more than 350,000 foster caregivers stepped up to open their homes to animals in need (Shelter Animals Count). Whether you can offer a few hours a week, a temporary foster home, or help behind the scenes, your contribution matters.
So today, we celebrate Wendy—not just for what she did for Tommy, but for representing what’s possible when compassionate people show up and say, “How can I help?”
From all of us at Eastwood Ranch: thank you, Wendy, and thank you to every single volunteer who gives their time, energy, and love. You are truly the heart of everything we do.
