Jordan, a 24-year-old student from Adelaide, was always surrounded by pets growing up and knew from an early age that he wanted to work with animals.

The passionate animal lover has been volunteering with RSPCA South Australia’s Dog Care team for over a year now, and in that time it’s become clear that he’s no ordinary 24 year old. He’s a true dog whisperer.

We have enormous gratitude for every single one of of generous volunteers and the life changing work they do for our furry friends. We caught up with the dog whisperer himself to get the lowdown on what it’s like to volunteer in dog care, and exactly how it is that he has such a way with dogs.

Earning the title of ‘Dog Whisperer’

Once Jordan joined our volunteer team in October 2018, it did not take long for his natural affinity with dogs to shine through.

“I really enjoy interacting with dogs, they are very intelligent and have their own unique personalities. I enjoy being able to help find homes for the dogs,” says Jordan.

With a quietly confident demeanour and a peaceful nature, Jordan has been a hit with our dogs since the day he started.

The 24-year-old has confidently managed dogs of all sizes and temperaments, ranging from tiny and timid, to enormous and exuberant. As a result of  his reassuring approach, Jordan is now affectionately referred to as ‘the Dog Whisperer’ by our other volunteers.

“I’ve always tended to get along with dogs and have been called a dog whisperer before,” says Jordan with a grin.

“My favourite thing about volunteering is seeing the shy, timid dogs become more comfortable around people, and eventually see them be adopted to a good home.”

A new age Doctor Doolitte

A new age Doctor Doolittle, and no stranger to furry friends as a child, Jordan has continued to surround himself with a full menagerie of creatures at home.

When we asked whether he had any pets at home, he proudly listed his incredible collection of beloved ones.

“My family has one dog – a border collie named Scout who is 8, three cats; a Balinese named Jasmine who is 13 and two Burmese cats named Gidget and Koko who are 3 and 2; one Conure parrot named Cisco who is 4, and one turtle named Murray who is 10,” grins Jordan.

Jordan volunteers to broaden his knowledge

Having developed a keen interest in animal behaviour and in particular, how animals interact with the world around them, Jordan admits it was this interest that first inspired him to volunteer with RSPCA.

“I started volunteering to gain more animal care experience. For me it has been a great way to observe the animal’s behaviour and to be aware of their body language when interacting with them,” says Jordan.

Jordan’s incredible commitment to the welfare of all creatures great and small has been particularly evident ever since he started with us.

Despite the early morning starts, Jordan is our only volunteer regularly working the morning shift, and is so dedicated that he has only missed one shift in over 12 months.

A lifelong passion

Of course, it is no surprise that Jordan is a natural with our precious pups, as he also boasts an impressive academic background in Science and Animal Behaviour.

Jordan already has a Bachelor of Science specialising in Animal Behaviour under his belt, and has recently completed a Certificate 3 in Animals Studies (Wildlife).

With an ever inquisitive mind and passion to keep learning, Jordan’s extensive qualifications do not end there. He is about to embark on yet another Certificate course on Captive Animals and hopes to one day be able to apply his knowledge to a career in animals and conservation.

“My ideal job is to work in an animal attendant or animal care role, a job where I can help to aid in the promotion of animal welfare and animal conservation,” says Jordan.

An incredible advocate for animals

Not only is Jordan a firm favourite with our furry friends, he has also proven to be a great contributor to our Dog Care team and even other volunteers.

With such an impressive background in animal behaviour theory, Jordan is constantly bringing valuable insights, and his willingness to share has been embraced wholeheartedly.

He is also a strong advocate for our volunteer program and actively encourages others to get involved too.

“I would absolutely recommend volunteering with RSPCA South Australia,” says Jordan.

“If you love caring for animals, enjoy spending time with people and animals, and enjoy being active it is a great way to achieve all of those things,” smiles Jordan.

We could not ask for a more dedicated and reliable volunteer and are so appreciative of what Jordan has brought to our team.

Endless thanks to our very special ‘Dog Whisperer’!

Are you passionate about animals just like Jordan with a little spare time and a lot of furry love to give? Make a difference and apply to volunteer. Who knows, you might end up earning a title just like ‘Dog Whisperer’.