Wags Club Wednesday: Jill Van Dyk

This Wags Club Wednesday, we are featuring a very special volunteer, Jill Van Dyk! Jill has dedicated hundreds and hundreds of hours (and lots of love) to our pups while they patiently wait to find a forever home. Read on to learn how Jill got involved and why she thinks you should too!

How did you get started volunteering at Wags & Walks?

I love dogs. A lot! My daughter Parker does, too. Even more than me. But we don’t have one. So when Parker was required to do community service (for school, not parole!), we figured this was the perfect opportunity to spend time with dogs while fulfilling her school obligation. It also provided us with the added benefit of spending more mother-daughter time together (that’s my perspective, likely not hers). She recalled that her former elementary school Science teacher, Mikayla Park, had begun working at Wags & Walks a few years earlier. So I drove over, spoke with Mikayla, signed us up for orientation, did our shadow shifts, and we became volunteers.

In what capacities are you involved as a volunteer?

I’m a Teal Paw volunteer, so obviously I walk dogs. I am also a transporter which is super fun, especially if you’re driving a big dog with no crate that insists on sitting in your lap while driving. It’s happened more than once! For a couple of months during the pandemic, I was lucky enough to make multiple trips to the Apple Valley Animal Protection League shelter to pick up dogs that were being rescued and bring them back to Wags so they could make their way to their forever homes. And of course everyone knows I’m obsessed with cleaning and doing the laundry. Generally the first thing I do when I arrive every morning is make sure all the puppies' kennels are cleaned up; they get super messy overnight. And then I fold the clean laundry and get it put away. And then I start walking dogs.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering?

I love witnessing a dog’s transition from the time they arrive at Wags until they are adopted. When a dog arrives from a shelter, it might understandably be scared or confused. Taking a dog for its first walk the moment it jumps out of the Wags van requires me to trust a dog I’ve never met, and the dog to trust me. I constantly talk to every dog I am walking, often stopping to pet or sit with them, and trying to somehow reassure them they are safe. To see a scared and confused dog become a wonderful playmate during play group and walking with beautiful leash manners is very heartwarming. And when they are finally matched with a family and adopted, I can’t help but feel like I’m part of a team that has allowed these once hopeless dogs to trust humans and go on to have the beautiful and fulfilling life they so richly deserve.

What is the most challenging aspect of volunteering?

It breaks my heart when a dog is returned because it is misunderstood. Fostering and adopting dogs is a big commitment and takes a lot of work. There have been a handful of wonderful dogs who were brought back seemingly because their family simply didn’t take the necessary time and effort needed to properly train their dog. Dogs want to learn, but you have to be willing to teach them! These sweet dogs are of course matched with new families who are always so grateful for their newest family member.

Have you had a favorite pup or favorite memory volunteering?

SO SO SO many favorites! Bernice, Zoey, Punky, Tazz, Bindi, brothers Cody & Zack, Craig, Pip, Kimber, Moose, Tawney Howard, and many more! But my all time favorite was Alder! He was PERFECT! He had the best bunny ears ever and melted to the ground and rolled onto his back the second I started to pet him. He was smart and silly and friendly to all living creatures. He loved to jump in my lap and roll around and bury his face in my armpit which made me laugh so hard! He was also a great snuggler and loved to rest his head on my shoulder while I wrapped my arms around him and told him how I wish he was mine. I remember when he had a meet-and-greet scheduled with a potential adopter and I literally cried. I saw this sweet, energetic young gal playing and talking and being silly with him in the yard, and Alder was having a blast with her. A few minutes later she drove off with him and I haven’t seen him since. And I couldn’t be happier about that because he’s where he belongs. And I know he’s happy!

Why should others get involved too!?

The bottom line is this: More volunteers means more dogs can be saved. The staff at Wags & Walks is amazing and they are very vocal in their appreciation of every volunteer. But they are busy with all the other things that have to happen in order for these pups to make it to their forever homes. It’s a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours on any given day. Skip the gym and take a few dogs on walks instead. It's a whole lot more fun! Eat lunch at your desk and drop by on your lunch break. Can’t leave your child home alone? Bring him/her with you and spend some quality time together while helping these pups in need. The schedule is as flexible as you need it to be and you’ll be making a very big contribution to the well-being of these dog's lives. It’s highly rewarding, very humbling, and you’ll be happy you did it!

Interested in volunteering? Start by filling out a volunteer application!