Instructions
Get comfortable with the breed. The best Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue workers know all the quirks and normal characteristics of the breed, such as their independence, protectiveness and desire to chase small critters. Awareness of these traits helps you educate potential adoptive families. Overall, the more time you spend with Ridgebacks, the more skills you have to offer rescue, making you a more versatile volunteer.
Decide in which capacity you would like to volunteer to assist Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue. Rescue organizations need workers to fill a variety of roles, including fostering, transporting, home checks and phone interviews for potential owners, dog evaluations and paperwork. Probably the single biggest need in any rescue group is fostering, so if you want to help out in a big way, consider taking in homeless Ridgebacks while they wait to find their new owners. But don't feel like you have to foster. There are plenty of ways to volunteer for a rescue group that doesn't involve keeping a dog at your home.
Go online to find a Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue group operating in your geographic area (see Resources below). Then contact the workers listed and talk to them about volunteer opportunities.
Ask for any training materials. Most rescue organizations have information on how to perform various rescue tasks, such as the home check and assessing a dog's temperament. Review the materials so you are familiar with what is expected of you ahead of time. Also, feel free to ask to tag along during different rescue activities to gain experience.
Jump right in. Let the rescue group officials know you're available to help. Better yet, if your local Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue group is part of an online discussion group, join immediately. Online groups are a great way to keep track of what's occurring in the rescue community at any given time and should expose you to ample opportunities to help out.
How to Volunteer for Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue
Most purebred dog rescue organizations need all the help they can get, and Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue is no exception. Every year, various Ridgeback rescue groups save thousands of dogs from being euthanized in shelters all over the country, and they need volunteers to make this happen. If you have time to donate and feel passionately about saving Rhodesian Ridgebacks, then plenty of volunteer opportunities await.