East End Animal Shelter In Need Of Volunteers

Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Inc. (ARF) is currently seeking volunteers to walk shelter dogs. “It’s a great time to enjoy this fabulous fall weather,” shared Jamie Berger, Director of Marketing & Communications at ARF. “We are looking for kindhearted individuals that want to give back and help the ARF animals.”

Not only will volunteering have your new friends’ tails wagging every time you visit ARF, but sharing time with an adoptee could also be beneficial to your health. Are you looking to lose a few pounds? You can use walking the shelter’s dogs as motivation, because how could you skip a session knowing an adorable furry companion is depending on you? The regular presence of an animal can also help improve the overall health of your heart. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have conducted heart-related studies on people who have pets, and the findings revealed that pet owners exhibit lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, all of which can potentially decrease the risk of having a heart attack. So, while if you’re not ready to commit to taking care of an animal full-time, playing with fido for a couple of hours each week is a no-brainer.

“You can come as often as your schedule permits and walk as many dogs as you’d like,” noted Berger. “Big or small we will pair you up with the right dog who needs to get out and enjoy a walk.”

Volunteers must be at least 16-years-old and walkers must wear closed toed shoes (no sandals or flip flops). Walks should last at least 15 to 20 minutes per dog.

Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons is located at 91 Daniels Hole Road in Wainscott. For more information, contact Michele Forrester at [email protected] or 631-537-0400 x 207, or visit www.arfhamptons.org.