The Heartbeat of the Shelter: Celebrating our Volunteers

Written by: Britney Tennant, Cheyenne Animal Shelter CEO

At the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, our volunteers are nothing less than the beating heart of our daily routine.

While the staff ensures animals receive medical care, daily feeding and oversight, our volunteers bring added energy, empathy and a capacity for service that extends far beyond what we could do alone.

In fact, last year, our volunteers donated nearly 30,000 hours of their time — an astonishing level of commitment. Using the most recent Value of Volunteer Time for Wyoming — $31.69 per hour — that service equals nearly $950,000 in community value. That number is more than a statistic: it is proof that compassion can be measured in both dollars and impact.

You can see the effect of those hours everywhere. Our vaccine, microchip and spay/neuter clinics depend on volunteers who guide families through paperwork, assist with animal care and keep the process moving smoothly.

Fosters also step forward when animals need more than the shelter can provide. Each year, more than 800 pets — newborn kittens, dogs recovering from surgery or animals too shy to thrive in kennels — find healing and stability in foster homes. These volunteers make the difference between surviving and flourishing.

Inside the shelter, the work is just as critical. Volunteers clean kennels, walk dogs, socialize cats, do mountains of laundry and lend hands at the front desk. Some help with quiet, but essential tasks like filing invoices, data entry or writing thank you cards. One longtime volunteer was recently honored as “Employee of the Month” because she has become such an integral part of our veterinary clinic. Every task, from bottle-feeding a kitten to sorting receipts, adds up to a stronger, more resilient shelter.

The generosity of groups and families magnifies this impact. Parents and children often volunteer together, teaching younger generations that caring for animals is a family value. Local partners like South High School PALs, Goodwill, Microsoft, Laramie County 4-H and Blue Federal Credit Union regularly pitch in, proving that service is contagious.

Last year, Ken Garff Toyota helped enhance Ellie’s Garden, our pet memorial space. Later this month, an ROTC club will join forces with Tiger Tree to replace our damaged sprinkler system and save several struggling trees. These projects show that the spirit of volunteering extends beyond animal care — it builds community spaces and preserves the environment we share.

What stands out most, though, is not just what volunteers do, but what they bring. They bring joy to the animals, relief to our staff and a sense of belonging to everyone who walks through our doors. They remind us that our shelter is not simply a building — it is a place where compassion gathers and multiplies. And when people unite around that shared purpose, we can accomplish far more than we ever imagined.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, fostering or even just taking a dog out for a “Doggy Day Out” adventure, now is the perfect time. Every person has a role to play, whether it’s hands-on animal care, behind-the-scenes support or lending professional skills to a project. Details about how to get involved can be found on our website: cheyenneanimalshelter.org/volunteer.

To all our volunteers — past, present and future — thank you. You are the hands that comfort, the voices that encourage and the hearts that inspire. Together, you’ve shown that service is more than charity; it is community in action. And together, we are creating a brighter future for animals and people alike.