STOP – Please don’t go to the following sections until AFTER your background check has cleared and your hands-on training is scheduled.
We are so fortunate to have many volunteers! We have devised a schedule that will allow as many people as possible to volunteer without crowding any one area and also trying to let you know when there is a need for volunteers.
We are not requiring set weekly shifts, but ask that you sign up online no later than the night before you want to come in. If you don’t have access to a computer, please call and leave a message with the days/times you want to volunteer. We need 2 business days’ notice for scheduling made via the phone.
How it works:
| Hours a Day | Hours a Week | |
| 11-15 year-olds | ||
| School Weeks | 3 hours (8 hours Sat.-Sun.) | 16 hours |
| Non-School Weeks | 8 hours | 40 hours |
| 16-17 year-olds | ||
| School Weeks | 4 hours (8 hours Fri.-Sun.) | 20 hours |
| Non-School Weeks | 8 hours | 48 hours |
Signups for volunteering in the cat and dog adoption rooms can be found in your Volunteer Portal. If you have a problem with the website, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at (360) 352-2510 x1009.
If you are interested in helping with any of the following projects, please contact Chandra.
Compile a list of The Kitten Lady’s videos: She has a bunch of videos on her website and I would love to have a comprehensive list of them.
Download Bunny Resources: The rabbit society has a bunch of resources for shelters. I need a volunteer to download all the information from https://rabbit.org/resources-for-animal-shelters/
Sewing Projects: Slings for bottle babies. Sample patterns: sling, sling, bonding scarf
Craft Projects:
Trail Cleaning: Parts of the trail are getting overgrown with bushes and weeds. We need some volunteers to help to make the trail passable. (For insurance reasons, people clearing the trail must be adult volunteers in our program.) If you are 18+ and have weed whackers you can use on the trail, we’d love your help! I have large clippers for those volunteers 18+ who would like to do it the old-fashioned way.
Updating Pet Apartment List: To help people moving into and around this area, we have a list of local apartments and their pet guidelines. I need one volunteer to do some online research to see if there are more apartments to be added to the list. This job can be done at any hour. I also need 2-3 more volunteers who can call the apartments on the current list to see if their information is still correct. Most of these calls would need to be during the workday.
Foster Animal Supplements: Any bunny, guinea pig, or mice experts? I need foster care supplements for these animals. You don’t have to write new material; most of it will be compiling resources
Memes and Infographics: We have a collection of memes and infographics we would like to update with pictures of our animals and/or graphics.
Presenters are donating their time to offer the classes as a benefit and reward for volunteers. Unless otherwise stated, these classes are for volunteers only.
Are there training topics that you would like us to offer? Let me know if you have any suggestions and I will see what I can do.
Volunteers can checkout books and videos from the volunteer library. If you see an item you’d like to checkout, just let Chandra know. LIST OF BOOKS AND VIDEOS
MISC
Hand Sanitizer Station Maintenance
Lost and Found Kiosk
Opening Kitchen Gate
Opening Volunteer Coordinator’s Gate
Opting Into Text Messages For Shelter Volunteers
CATS
Cat Room Responsibilities
Stripping a Cat Kennel
Time-Out Cards
How to Carry a Cat
How to Prep the Disinfectant Bucket
Laundry Room for Cat Volunteers
How to Close a Cat Carrier
How to Scan Cats/Kittens for Microchips
DOGS
How to Use Our Leashes
How to Use the ThunderLeash
Walking a Dog
Off Leash Area
Returning a Dog to the Kennel
Laundry Room for Dog Volunteers
FOSTER HOMES
How to Sign Up for a Foster
How to Tell if a Group Has Been Taken
Opting Into Text Messages For Foster Homes
PLEASE make sure you are always reading the body language of the animals! This can change as you interact with them, so just because an animal was fine when you started to pet or brush her, doesn’t mean she wants you to continue. Here’s a way to ask the animal if she likes the way you are interacting. It’s called the Consent or 5-second Test, and every person who interacts with an animal should know it, because it’s excellent bite prevention and also just basic polite manners.
More videos on body language:
You can test how well you read dog body language at www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/be-safe-dogs.
Videos on cat body language:
In your orientation packets, you received handouts of dog and cat body language. Please review them. CLICK HERE for the Body Language packet. The volunteer book and video library (bottom drawer of the volunteer sign in stand in my office) has additional resources. CLICK HERE for a list of some of these items.
Additional body language/safety information:
When a bite is reported to us, we are required to quarantine the animal for 10 days in most cases. While we need you to report any accidents to us, we want to take the basic precautions so we don’t place an animal in a situation where it feels it needs to bite.
If you have any questions, please see the Volunteer Coordinator.
Cat Treat Recipes, Dog Treat Recipes