Mallory has always been passionate about dogs. That passion has led her to adopt, to volunteer and to start down a new career path in the hopes of becoming a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant.
Seven years ago, Mallory adopted her beloved dog, River. River was rescued as a puppy from the streets of St. Lucia through an organization dedicated to animal welfare there. Mallory recalled “He was very sick when he was found, but he got the medical care he needed at the time. When we adopted him, he still had an inflammatory bone disease and needed ongoing veterinary monitoring and medication during his first months with us. I’m thankful that he’s now in great health.”
At 2 years old, River developed reactivity to other dogs and Mallory set out to understand and learn to work through his reactivity struggles. She explained “It was a huge learning curve but these days, River is a very good doggy citizen! We worked hard together to find ways to prevent his reactive behaviour as well as to modify it using positive reinforcement. A component of his behaviour modification has also been to build resilience so that he can better cope and come back down to a calmer behaviour state in situations when he becomes over-aroused.”
“River was the spark behind me becoming hooked on dog behaviour,” said Mallory. This led her to start volunteering at the SPCA’s Dartmouth shelter in January 2024. Mallory shared “I wanted to give my time to an organization doing good work in the community and I knew that volunteering with dogs at the SPCA would be something I would enjoy while augmenting my learning and providing a much-needed service there.” 
Around the same time Mallory signed up to volunteer, she was also considering a career change that would take her in the direction of working with dogs, a pivot from her career in health care. While it’s a long journey to become a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant, her initial studies have served her well in her volunteer role. “Knowing about dog body language gives me insight into how the dogs at the shelter are feeling, and that prompts me to help them out in different ways,” explained Mallory. “For example, I’ve learned to reward dogs generously when they are doing something you want (such as looking at you when you call their name). This has not only helped me control dogs that pull very hard on their leash but has created opportunities to involve dogs in fun and mentally engaging games.”
Mallory’s role at the shelter as an Animal Enrichment Dog Care volunteer is mainly to provide enrichment of all types: outdoor play time, leash walks, one-on-one calm time petting/grooming, kennel enrichment activities and socializing puppies. She said “On walks, I take treats to offer as rewards for paying attention and name recognition. I like to play ‘find it’ by tossing a treat into the grass for the dog to sniff out. The dogs have a lot of fun doing this and it gets their brain working.” But her contribution doesn’t stop there. Mallory helps with any tasks for which staff need assistance, including cleaning kennels, doing dishes and laundry, and helping with feeding.
Mallory shared that each volunteer shift is different, but it usually starts by finding out from staff/volunteers which dogs need specific attention or if there’s any particular tasks that would be helpful for her to start right away. “While doing those tasks, I look into kennels to see if there are any messes that need to be cleaned or low water in bowls so that I can get on top of those as soon as possible. I also listen to who’s barking and watch for who looks anxious so that I can give them something to do that redirects their attention (ex. stuffed Kong) or make a point of taking them outside next. Shifts go really fast because there is always more to do than what I have time for! Before I know it, my shift is over!”
Mallory said that some of her most memorable experiences have been short but impactful moments. For example, she recalled holding a water bowl for a dog who was in rough shape and was unable to stand. “He was thirsty and enthusiastically lapped up the water while I crouched beside him. It was gratifying to be able to meet such a basic need for an animal who was struggling. It was a small part of my day, but it left a lasting impression on me.” Check out a few of Mallory’s other memorable moments below.
Mallory found that completing the SPCA’s onboarding/orientation process for new volunteers was very helpful. “I learned about the SPCA as an organization, and what is expected of volunteers in general. I learned about what my responsibilities would be and what my shifts would typically involve. The process helped me to go into my first shift with confidence (and expecting to do a lot of cleaning!) and set realistic expectations about the challenges of the role.”
Mallory said that volunteering at the SPCA is incredibly rewarding. “If you dive in and do the work there will be days when you’re rewarded by getting jumped on by a litter of puppies. But honestly for me, I feel just as much gratification after a shift heavy on cleaning as I do after a shift of dog walks and playtime in the yard. Everything you do is helping to improve the animals’ quality of life during this temporary chapter in their lives.”
As it turns out, Mallory and her partner are moving to London, Ontario because that’s where their roots are
. “We are at a point in life where we want to be closer to the people we love,” she said. “It’s tough, because we both love Halifax and Nova Scotia, but we are too far away from the people who are important to us.” The SPCA is going to miss Mallory terribly, but they are incredibly grateful for the amazing work she did over the past 7 months. And without missing a beat, Mallory said that she plans on volunteering at a local shelter once she settles into her new home. Her love of dogs clearly goes beyond borders.
With thousands of abused, neglected, injured, homeless animals to care for annually, there is much work to be done and never enough hands. Please consider becoming a volunteer and make a difference in these animals’ lives. There’s a wide range of volunteer opportunities to engage and inspire you. Check them out here.
Prepare for cuteness. Here are more sweet anecdotes that Mallory shared about her time volunteering at the Dartmouth Shelter.
The Adorable Pupdates
I had a fun time taking a young, highly energetic dog – Honda – out for a leash walk a couple of weeks ago. We were having some very hot weather, and between the two of us, we found all the shady trees in the area to go check out and sniff for some treats in the grass. After lots of moving around, Honda was panting heavily, but he was still raring to go. Under the shade of a tree, I encouraged him to lie down and take a breather. He thought this was such a good idea that after he took a moment to sniff the breeze and feel the cool grass on his belly, he rolled back and forth on his back wriggling all over the grass and looked like the picture of happiness. It felt so good to be able to give this young dog a chance to be outside, stretch his legs, smell the smells, and enjoy a summer day.
I had the chance on one shift to help give a litter of puppies a bath and clip their nails. That was a real juggling act. With all the wiggling, I didn’t quite get to all the toenails!
Playing fetch with dogs in the yard is always great – fun for them, fun for me!
Inspiring to Volunteer
Volunteering with a shelter or rescue offers many personal benefits. Ask any volunteer and they’ll tell you it’s one of most rewarding things you can do. You can: meet great people who share the same passions and interests as you; develop new skills; boost your mood and health; stay active; receive the unconditional love and gratitude of the animals you’re helping; even find the perfect pet!