Volunteering provides physical, social, and psychological benefits and is a valued role for older adults. Although adults volunteer for various organizations, there is limited understanding of why older adults volunteer for animal rescue organizations.

Since the 1990s, the number of animal rescues increased significantly, due in part to the animal welfare movement and a societal shift in the importance of companion animals. Hence an increase in rescue organizations. Since most rescues rely on volunteers for day-to-day animal care, this project set out to investigate older adult’s understanding of volunteering at such facilities.

Thirty-three community-residing older adults participated in a telephone interview for...