Feel like taking a drive? Want to save some lives while you’re doing it? There are more than 1.000 pets each year that need to be transported from our shelter to our rescue partners. Last year 1,175 dogs and cats were sent to our partners … and each and every one of them needed a ride.

We also have been blessed with the opportunity to have some of our dogs and cats spayed and neutered every week through a grant provided by Best Friends and an education program at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. Those clinics are in South Hampton and Philadelphia and each of those animals need a ride as well.

Finally, acting as a way station for sick, injured and abandoned infant wildlife; we are often looking for help getting these animals to refuges or rehabilitators. During the warmer months, the need for transporters is a very regular thing. Abandoned fawns, neonatal rabbits, squirrels and baby birds are brought to us and then sent to the appropriate rehabilitators.

Injured birds such as hawks, osprey, owls and eagles, as well as mammals indigenous to our area, also come in regularly and need to be driven to places such as Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. Transporting to Cedar Run is actually a lot of fun if you have a little time while you’re there to tour the refuge. It’s fun and educational for all ages.

Between the two clinics alone, we need transporters every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The wild animal transports can happen at any time as we never know what or when the wildlife will be coming in.

Ferrying pets to our rescue partners is also unpredictable but absolutely essential in saving the lives of 100s of cats and dogs.

SJRAS transport volunteers can help out as often or as little as they like and travel locally or to some of our more long-distance destinations. We have partners in New Jersey and throughout the tristate area.

When a partner organization is interested in taking animals from our shelter, we send out a notice to those volunteers via email or text, which includes the date the transport is needed, the window that would be ideal, the number and type of animals to be transported, as well as the locations they are traveling from/to.

To participate in the program, visit sjras.org, click on the volunteer page and fill out the volunteer questionnaire. You can also send an email to rescuepartners@sjras.org to get started.

If you are available to help, simply let our coordinators know and they’ll be in touch with you to confirm the information and make any adjustments.

Shelter needs: Canned dog and cat food, dry cat food (no dyes please), dog treats – biscuit and soft, peanut butter, cat litter, cat nip, ajax or comet, paper towels, tall kitchen trash bags, and gift cards for pet supply and grocery outlets.

Source: Volunteers needed to transport pets for South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter