Believe it or not, shelter animals are on the move. A dog or cat may be transferred from a large, high-volume kill shelter to a smaller no-kill shelter or a breed specific rescue organization. A family in New Jersey may find a description of a pet on Petfinder that they want — but the pet currently resides in California.
Enter the volunteer animal transport community! Pet lovers around the country are willing to drive a little out of their way to help get a dog or cat out of a dangerous situation (like a kill shelter) and into a rescue or foster home for a second chance at finding a forever home.
All you need is a reliable car and a love for animals. The dogs and cats you might be transporting may be frightened, dirty, nervous, and unhappy. The kind word and loving touch you give them — even if it is only for an hour-long car ride — can make a big difference in their lives. Some pets come to the transport with a crate to ride in, or a favorite toy. Some pets come with nothing but the collars around their necks.
The organization responsible for receiving the pet is usually responsible for mapping out the route and finding the drivers. Many transports are broken down into one hour segments. You can volunteer for more than one, if you are willing to give more time, but even just an hour of driving is a huge help. (Some long distance transports need an overnight stay — you can offer to host a traveling pet in your home for one night and help the effort that way!)
If you think you might like to be involved in helping an animal get to a foster home or a forever home, here are a few places to start looking:
You can also search Petfinder to find shelters and rescue organizations in your area, and see if they are planning any animal transports that may need drivers.