Dog Walking with BARC Shelter

What: Walking dogs

Where: Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC), Williamsburg, through New York Cares

When: Thursday, 6-8pm

So, rule number one in volunteering to walk dogs: Try to avoid torrential downpours. I may have picked the worst day, in the worst 2 weeks of New York weather, to volunteer; however, rain or shine, the dogs need to be walked, so I’m glad I went. When you arrive at BARC in Williamsburg, you’ll be asked to sign in and fill out a waiver form (this only needs to be done your first time there). Once your New York Cares team leader arrives, you’ll split up into pairs and dogs will be brought out one by one. If the small dogs need to be walked, you and your partner will each be given a pooch. However, this shelter is known for having large breed dogs, so its likely that you’ll get a big dog to walk. It is for safety reasons that you’re paired up, in case the dog gets excited and you’re unable to control it; the hope is that between the two of you, there won’t be a problem. I walked a small poodle mix, Sasha, while my partner walked the cutest Jack Russell I’ve ever seen. After that, we were given a large labrador mixed breed named Al, who was the unfortunate dog that got caught in the downpour with us halfway through our walk. He didn’t seem to mind, nor did I, since I picked up a sweet, bright yellow poncho at Jack’s Dollar store on my way to the shelter. Other things to know:

-Dog Walking activities fill up fast on the New York Cares website. Lucky for you, BARC makes it really easy to volunteer directly with them, whenever you want, provided you’re 21 years old and it’s during their walking hours (9am-12pm, 5pm-8pm). Just walk in to the BARC Store (BQE Pet Supply), fill out a waiver and sign in. Check out their website for more information.

– Not a dog person? Not a problem. BARC also houses lots of cats that need to be petted, brushed, and socialized. You can come Tuesday-Saturday, between 12 and 5pm

-This is a great activity for those who can’t seem to find the motivation to get out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn. Williamsburg is a great area full of funky shops and awesome food. You can walk a dog while you check out the neighborhood. It’s a win/win..

-While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the Williamsburg Waterfront; you’ll get a great view of the Manhattan skyline, and you can scope out a spot for one of eight consecutive (and FREE) concerts that will happen summer, starting July 12th, right there on the river. Click here for more details from FreeWilliamsburg.com.

-For more dog walking tips, check out my previous post about volunteering at Animal Care and Control.

Tags: BARC, brooklyn animal resource coalition, cat care, dog walking, free concert, mccarren park, williamsburg