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SCMP Reporter

Where? Hong Kong Centre, 5 Wan Shing Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Why?  Over 9,000 unwanted, abandoned, sick or injured animals are collected by the SPCA every year. Many of them are kept in the kennels and they would  appreciate you walking them or caring for them.

How? You must be at least 16 years old. To apply, visit www.spca.org.hk and download the application form.  Jobs for volunteers include walking the dogs, cleaning the animal cages and kennels, helping  SPCA staff at the office as well as co-ordinating or promoting  our fund-raising events. Volunteers tend to enjoy walking the dogs the most. To be a qualified dog walker, you must  work in the kennels for at least 10 hours and enrol in a dog obedience course.  It is important  to understand animal behaviour.

Teen volunteer: Tiffany Ho Tsz-ting, 16.  SPCA volunteer  during the summer and Christmas holidays.

'I love animals, but I can't keep one at home because I'm studying in Canada. That's why I  help out at the SPCA.

'We start delivering food to the animals and cleaning the kennels at 9am. There are various kinds of animals such as cats, dogs and rabbits.

'The kennels are a bit smelly, but you  get used to it. You  wear gloves so that you don't touch the faeces. There are tools for you to clean the kennels. For example, we use water pipes to clean the dog kennels and  a vacuum cleaner to suck up the rabbit faeces if there  is a lot.'

'It is much easier in the afternoon. We wait for people to visit the centre and guide them. Also, we  release the dogs in turn to feed them and play with them.'

'When I worked here during the summer, there was a four-month-old puppy that was really loving and friendly. We played together and I also helped to teach the puppy how to respond to orders such as 'sit' or 'give hand' during training classes. It learned all of the commands and I was very happy.'

'I was pleased because, if the puppy knows  these things, potential owners will see it as a good dog and there is more chance it will be adopted  quickly.'

'Someone adopted the puppy before I came back this Christmas. I miss it a little bit, but I can look at the photos I took of it.

'I have learned many things at the SPCA, including that big dogs need big gardens and that the weather in Hong Kong is not suitable for some dogs, like Huskies. People at the SPCA are very  friendly, and I  have made many friends.'



Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)