For two and a half years Kristina and Kai Ortmann have been volunteering weekly with the dogs and cats at the Humane Society of Ventura County. 

Kristina and Kai started to volunteer so they could do something to give back to the community. Soon enough, they started to come every Saturday morning to spend time with the dogs and cats. These two became a regular sight around the kennels and the animals recognize them the moment they head down to the the kennels. Kai tends to spend most of her time with the cats, but has recently fallen in love with Dawn, a 10 year old Doberman Pinscher and Vizsla mix. Kristina on the other hand, has fallen for sweet Luigi, a 5 year old Pug mix who is just as sweet as can be. 

Both Kristina and Kai feel that while it can be hard to volunteer at an animal shelter, the pros outweigh the cons. Most of our volunteers mention a bittersweet feeling when one of their favorites get adopted, they will be missed, but everyone is always happy to see them go to their forever home. “If you love animals, it’s definitely the thing to do", advises Kristina when asked if she had anything to say to those interested in volunteering, “I almost feel like I’m getting more enjoyment out of volunteering than the animals!”

Volunteers are crucial to the care of the animals at The Humane Society of Ventura County. While staff tends to the the basic needs and care of the animals, it is our volunteers who make the animals comfortable and give them the love they all deserve. We are always looking for more volunteers and welcome everyone to come to a general orientation to learn about our volunteer opportunities. To learn more, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Volden at (805)646-6505 x110 or by email at [email protected].