As we ring in the New Year, there's now a shot for locals to step up and save some furry friends. BARC, the City of Houston's go-to spot for all things animal shelter and adoption, is pitching a brand-new angle at getting folks involved: a Tiered Volunteer Program set to kick off as the calendar flips to 2024. Whether you're a newbie to the animal care game or have been around the kennel block, BARC's fresh system has a spot for you across four levels — Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and for those more into helping from a distance, the BARC Buddies tier.
Looking to add a dose of do-goodery to your resolutions? BARC's Shelter Director Jarrad Mears spun it simple: "Our tiered program is here to help make it as easy as possible to jump right in to lend a paw at the shelter by organizing our new and existing volunteers into groups according to level of experience and time donated to the shelter." This was according to a news release. For those of you pacing at the starting gates, each tier is built to match you with the right set of tasks, so anyone with a heart for animals can get their hands dirty — figuratively, if you're eyeing the BARC Buddies tier.
And don't let the lack of leash-slinging experience deter you. Train up from ground zero with beginner status, where seasoned pros in the advanced tier will guide you by the collar, so to speak, to become a shelter's best friend. BARC isn't just throwing volunteers into the dog park without a leash; they've got training courses all planned out to make the learning curve less steep. These details were fetched from a recent release by the City of Houston BARC.
Experienced animal aficionados, don't you worry. BARC's got the respect for your established know-how by slotting you in at the right tier from the get-go. As long as you've got skills worth wagging a tail about, they'll find the perfect fit for your abilities, according to a BARC press release. So, if you can't wait to toss around some tennis balls or make a few feline friends, leap over to BARC's website or shoot an email their way to hop into the program.
