Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the perfect family volunteering vacation. With more families choosing to give back on their holidays in an effort to educate their children on global issues, instill them with values and compassion and to help others in need, it’s important to find the right program that fits in with the expectations of your family, but one that’s responsible.
By: Heather Newgen | Twitter: @hnvoluntourist
While children are in the process of establishing and developing a specialized skill, it’s essential to only perform tasks that don’t require a professional background in order to make the biggest impact and volunteer responsibly. So working in areas of teaching, construction and the medical field aren’t great options. However, working with animals is always a good choice because you don’t need training and many projects can be done with just the supervision of a parent.
The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a no kill non-profit animal shelter with locations in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York and Kanab, Utah, which is where I volunteered. The organization is legendary for the VIP treatment of the furry friends they rescue and help get adopted.
The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary offers a variety of volunteer programs to choose from where you’ll do everything from walking dogs to brushing cats to cleaning bunny cages, which was my assignment.
The rabbit runs need to be cleaned once a day, so volunteers at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary are crucial because staff members can’t take care of this project and their main responsibilities. So volunteers make a big difference and help the facility keep a happy, clean and healthy home for so many animals.
That said, the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a great place for families to volunteer together because children as young as six-years-old can do certain projects, it’s free to volunteer, and Kanab, Utah is a beautiful place to vacation.
You’re only about an hour and a half away from Bryce Canyon, about two hours away from Zion National Park and an hour and twenty minutes from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Zion National Park Photo by: Heather Newgen
In the summer, the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab books up quickly, so reserve your spots now. Here are the different areas you can work in:
Dogtown– Must be at least 10 and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Nobody under 14 can walk dogs alone.
Cat World– Must be at least 6 to volunteer and must be accompanied with an adult at all times.
Horse Haven– Must be at least 12 to volunteer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and must be accompanied with an adult at all times.
Marshall’s Piggy Paradise– Must be at least 12 to volunteer and must be accompanied with an adult at all times.
Bunny House– Must be at least 8 to volunteer and must be accompanied with an adult at all times.
Hey Harry Potter fans!! Meet Hermione, Ginny, and Luna
Photo by: Michael Lee
Parrot Garden– Must be at least 8 to volunteer and must be accompanied with an adult at all times.
Wild Friends– Must be 18
Angels Rest– Must be at least 12 to volunteer and must be accompanied with an adult at all times. (This is the final resting place for sanctuary animals).
Things to know:
One adult can supervise up to three children while volunteering.
You must have a car to get to your volunteer placement.
There’s a cafe at theBest Friends Animal Sanctuary that’s open from 11:30am to 1pm and serves a vegetarian $5.00 all you can eat buffet. You must go just for the view, but the food is amazing as well.
There’s a morning shift from 8:15am to 11:30.
The afternoon shift starts at 1:15pm to 4pm.
You must attend orientation at theBest Friends Animal Sanctuary beforehand and if you’re late you can’t volunteer.
To sign up to volunteer go to the website for instructions.
If you’re unable to volunteer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary there are free daily two hour tours of the sanctuary. And if you’d like to bring donations, there’s always a need for blankets and toys.
And finally there are several lodging options in Kanab around the sanctuary. Click here for more details.
The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a family friendly place where your kids can learn the value of giving back in a fun and safe environment while making a positive impact on the community. However, it’s also great for solo travelers like myself, couples and groups of friends. It’s an incredible experience that I recommend everyone do at least once.