Volunteer
Whether you volunteer at the sanctuary,
in your community or from your home,
you'll make a real difference in the lives
of homeless pets, meet other animal
lovers and have fun!

Catherine Drinkard, Volunteer Manager

Catherine Drinkard is the volunteer manager at Best Friends. Cathi (as most people call her) has been a lifelong animal lover, believing that her pets make her whole. She cannot imagine her life, or the world, without animals. She is especially attracted to dogs with special needs and currently shares her home with two three-legged dogs named Archie and Hope.

Cathi started working at Best Friends in October 2010 after volunteering at the Sanctuary each year for four years. Cathi says, "The first time I visited the Best Friends Welcome Center, I knew that someday I would work for this incredible organization. Now, my dream has come true." Cathi feels that she was called to work at Best Friends and views it as a gift, a privilege, to be here.

Cathi came to Best Friends from Raleigh, North Carolina, where she worked in nonprofit management, supporting people with disabilities and their families. Her work involved ensuring that people with disabilities were recognized for their contributions, not by their challenges.

Although she enjoyed her former career immensely, Cathi truly feels she is home at Best Friends. "Working with volunteers is a thrill," she says, "because I know exactly how they feel about being here. We couldn't do this very important work of supporting the animals and spreading the word about our mission without them. I want to find more ways for them to enjoy their experience at Best Friends and be engaged in our work at the Sanctuary."