Volunteer
There are so many ways to help make a difference in the life of a homeless animal. We desperately need more volunteers! You can help by transporting, fostering, crossposting, helping at the county shelter and making a tax-deductible donation.
Quincy K-9 Connections relies on volunteers and private donations to save unwanted pets from high-kill shelters. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anne Heckle (anne.heckle@att.net) for information!
Quincy K-9 Connections relies on volunteers and private donations to save unwanted pets from high-kill shelters. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anne Heckle (anne.heckle@att.net) for information!
Transporting animals to safety is a great way to help QKC! We run transports every Saturday from Quincy, IL up to Chicago, Wisconsin and Indiana. We always need help. For answers to our most frequently asked questions regarding transports, see below!
Transport Information
What happens on a transport?
Dogs and cats that are pulled from high-kill shelters are the most common type of animal on a transport. Often, they are thin, smelly and scared. But, they are all friendly and temperment tested prior to being placed onto a transport. All dogs are crated and have a specific destination to go to -- this destination is specified on a "run sheet." Run sheets detail every aspect of the transport and come out on Friday afternoons.
Transports occur every Saturday. We run what is called a 'merged transport;' this means that we have two routes that start out into two different origination points and then merge.
Transports are divided into legs, and each leg usually has multiple drivers. Dogs are handed off from one transporter to another once a leg is complete. All transports are monitored.
What routes can I drive?
Transports occur in the following format: Route A: Carthage, IL - Galesburg/Geneseo, IL - Peru, IL - Joliet, IL, Route B: Quincy, IL - Springfield, IL - Bloomington, IL - Joliet, IL, Routes A and B merge in Joliet, IL at noon and then branch out from there to Chicagoland, Wisconsin and beyond.
How are the animals transported?
The dogs and cats are transported in your own personal vehicle. All dogs and cats must be crated. Volunteers can acquire crates from garage sales, craigslist, or buy them at a discount store. We are unable to provide crates for all our of transporters; however, we may be able to loan you some until you acquire your own.
I don't have crates; can I still transport?
For the safety and security of you and our furry friends, crates are REQUIRED on transport.
How much do I get paid to transport?
Transporters are volunteers and therefore, all positions are unpaid.
How do I volunteer?
Visit our Volunteer information page.
When do requests for transporters come out? How will I know what route I am driving?
Requests for transporters come out on Sunday or Monday from that week's Transport Coordinator (Lauren, Jean or Marilyn). Simply reply to the email that you wish to transport that week. You will know what route you are driving by Friday afternoon.
I volunteered to drive my preferred route, but I'm driving a different route. Why?
Coordinating a transport is like putting together a 1000 piece puzzle with no clear picture of what the puzzle is to resemble. We assign routes based on need, car size and volunteer preferences. Routes are assigned based on what is best for the dogs; we try to keep you close to your preferred route. However, flexibility and a willingness to serve a higher purpose will help everyone in the long run. If you are assigned a route you are not willing to drive, you must call the Transport Coordinator immediately.
Sometimes there are more transporters in a concentrated geographical area than others. For example, we have many Chicagoland transporters who desire to drive the same popular routes or only wish to drive within an hour of their home. Sometimes we do not have a route that meets your preferences that week. Other times, we are short of drivers every week, such as the Galesburg, IL to Peru, IL route or the Springfield, IL to Bloomington, IL route.
Please note that legs from Joliet will change every week. We do not know the legs of transport from Joliet until Thursday evenings.
Can I bring my children or other dog along on a transport?
Transports can be stressful for the dogs being transported. Please do not bring your own personal pets on transport. We want all our focus to be on the dogs on transport -- save your love and affection for your own Fido at home!
Many transporters bring a friend or spouse along during transports to assist or have someone to talk to while driving. It is recommended you do not bring children under the age of 13 on transports. All transporters - anyone who drives a QKC dog, whether it be a friend, spouse or significant other - must have a liability waiver on file.
Who are you? Can I come visit your home/shelter/humane society?
We are a concerned group of volunteers who saw a need in our communities to help unwanted shelter animals find new homes. Transporters assist QKC efforts by moving the dogs to higher concentrated areas where the animals are more likely to be adopted. Local adoptions are rare from the shelters from which we pull.
If you are interested in visiting the shelters down south, please contact Anne Heckle.
I fell in love with a dog/cat/etc on transport. Can I adopt it?
It depends on the animal's situation and where it is going. Call the Transport Monitor on duty for information.
I have a dog/cat/hamster/etc that I don't want anymore. Will you take it?
QKC does not take owner surrenders from transporters. We concentrate on saving the dogs on death row at the high-kill shelters we pull from. Contact your local humane society or rescue for information on how to keep your beloved pet in your home.
Dogs and cats that are pulled from high-kill shelters are the most common type of animal on a transport. Often, they are thin, smelly and scared. But, they are all friendly and temperment tested prior to being placed onto a transport. All dogs are crated and have a specific destination to go to -- this destination is specified on a "run sheet." Run sheets detail every aspect of the transport and come out on Friday afternoons.
Transports occur every Saturday. We run what is called a 'merged transport;' this means that we have two routes that start out into two different origination points and then merge.
Transports are divided into legs, and each leg usually has multiple drivers. Dogs are handed off from one transporter to another once a leg is complete. All transports are monitored.
What routes can I drive?
Transports occur in the following format: Route A: Carthage, IL - Galesburg/Geneseo, IL - Peru, IL - Joliet, IL, Route B: Quincy, IL - Springfield, IL - Bloomington, IL - Joliet, IL, Routes A and B merge in Joliet, IL at noon and then branch out from there to Chicagoland, Wisconsin and beyond.
How are the animals transported?
The dogs and cats are transported in your own personal vehicle. All dogs and cats must be crated. Volunteers can acquire crates from garage sales, craigslist, or buy them at a discount store. We are unable to provide crates for all our of transporters; however, we may be able to loan you some until you acquire your own.
I don't have crates; can I still transport?
For the safety and security of you and our furry friends, crates are REQUIRED on transport.
How much do I get paid to transport?
Transporters are volunteers and therefore, all positions are unpaid.
How do I volunteer?
Visit our Volunteer information page.
When do requests for transporters come out? How will I know what route I am driving?
Requests for transporters come out on Sunday or Monday from that week's Transport Coordinator (Lauren, Jean or Marilyn). Simply reply to the email that you wish to transport that week. You will know what route you are driving by Friday afternoon.
I volunteered to drive my preferred route, but I'm driving a different route. Why?
Coordinating a transport is like putting together a 1000 piece puzzle with no clear picture of what the puzzle is to resemble. We assign routes based on need, car size and volunteer preferences. Routes are assigned based on what is best for the dogs; we try to keep you close to your preferred route. However, flexibility and a willingness to serve a higher purpose will help everyone in the long run. If you are assigned a route you are not willing to drive, you must call the Transport Coordinator immediately.
Sometimes there are more transporters in a concentrated geographical area than others. For example, we have many Chicagoland transporters who desire to drive the same popular routes or only wish to drive within an hour of their home. Sometimes we do not have a route that meets your preferences that week. Other times, we are short of drivers every week, such as the Galesburg, IL to Peru, IL route or the Springfield, IL to Bloomington, IL route.
Please note that legs from Joliet will change every week. We do not know the legs of transport from Joliet until Thursday evenings.
Can I bring my children or other dog along on a transport?
Transports can be stressful for the dogs being transported. Please do not bring your own personal pets on transport. We want all our focus to be on the dogs on transport -- save your love and affection for your own Fido at home!
Many transporters bring a friend or spouse along during transports to assist or have someone to talk to while driving. It is recommended you do not bring children under the age of 13 on transports. All transporters - anyone who drives a QKC dog, whether it be a friend, spouse or significant other - must have a liability waiver on file.
Who are you? Can I come visit your home/shelter/humane society?
We are a concerned group of volunteers who saw a need in our communities to help unwanted shelter animals find new homes. Transporters assist QKC efforts by moving the dogs to higher concentrated areas where the animals are more likely to be adopted. Local adoptions are rare from the shelters from which we pull.
If you are interested in visiting the shelters down south, please contact Anne Heckle.
I fell in love with a dog/cat/etc on transport. Can I adopt it?
It depends on the animal's situation and where it is going. Call the Transport Monitor on duty for information.
I have a dog/cat/hamster/etc that I don't want anymore. Will you take it?
QKC does not take owner surrenders from transporters. We concentrate on saving the dogs on death row at the high-kill shelters we pull from. Contact your local humane society or rescue for information on how to keep your beloved pet in your home.
