Lend a helping hand Published April 28, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross 3rd Wing Public Affairs ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE,Alaska -- As the weather breaks into some nice warm days, it's a perfect time to get out into the community and lend a helping hand. If you're having hard time thinking about where you'd like to volunteer, then consider an animal shelter. Every day animals are being brought in to shelter in wait for a new home, and they need your help and care while they wait. One place to keep in mind is the Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center. It is located on Elmore Rd., right off of E. Tudor Rd. This shelter is here to accept unwanted animals from their owners, rescue injured animals, reunite pets with owners and it serves several other purposes. Megan Premer, who has been with the shelter for the past five years, said they receive nearly 20 animal a day at the shelter. The AACCC is municipality ran and has been operating under its current contract since 1999. Premer said all cats and dogs are screened for aggressive behavior upon arriving to the shelter to ensure they are safe for a new home. The primary goal for the volunteer program is to provide the best care possible for sheltered animals and increase the number of lasting adoptions. As of the end of this March, 592 animals have been taken in. Of those 592 animals, 224 have been adopted, and 4,571 volunteer hours have been put toward finding homes for those animals. Premer said, she encourages military members to turn to a friend to watch their pet when it comes time to deploy. Bringing their pet to the shelter isn't only hard for the owner, but also for the pet too. It can cause the pet to be depressed as it goes from one home to the next. Those interested in volunteering must be 12 years of age or older, and children 12-16 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Hours of operation are weekdays 11a.m.-7p.m. and 10a.m.-6p.m. on weekends. So think about getting out there and providing some time to lend a hand in helping out those places that need it.