Walk in the sunshine with a happy dog
SPCA Napier Centre animal attendant Rachel Sumner is part of a large team devoted to the welfare of animals. In this weekly column, Rachel talks about some of the pets which have passed through the centre and those still waiting to find their “forever home”.
As the days get warmer, it is easy to see why Hawke’s Bay is such an amazing region to live in. You can easily find yourself thinking, “this walk in the sunshine would be so much cooler with a dog”. SPCA can help with that.
Dog ownership is a huge undertaking, and life pressures like long work hours or renting can mean that the commitment of having a canine companion isn’t on the cards for you. One of the easiest ways to get your canine fix while contributing to your community is to sign up as a volunteer dog walker with SPCA’s Napier Centre.
If you have a regular walking group, a usual coffee catch up, or just want to find a way to get out this summer with a fun companion — all with none of the commitment — then consider joining us as a volunteer dog walker. Taking one of our hounds for an outing can seriously increase your happiness, and theirs too.
Before you pick up the leash there are a few things to consider first. Volunteer dog walkers need to be 18 years or older, complete health and safety paperwork, as well as participate in a tour of the emergency features of our Napier centre. Once all these boxes are ticked you are certified and free to come and go as you please during opening hours.
We have some incredible people who donate their time every week and by walking SPCA dogs, they are able to help an important cause while getting out and about and exploring our community.
Our volunteer dog walkers use this time as an alternative to going to the gym. We have people who come in whenever they have a moment (even if weeks go by between those moments), and we have people who come in with a hot coffee in hand ready to stroll and chat with their friends and do some good at the same time. Whatever your lifestyle, the dogs at our centre don’t complain about a happy face at the end of the leash and the opportunity to get out, explore, and smell the fence posts.