Animal Care/Enrichment Volunteer

This position is tiered for increasing responsibilities.  Animal Care and Enrichment Volunteers assist in maintaining a sanitary and humane kennel environment to reduce disease and stress.  They also provide services for the mental and physical well-being of our animals. Volunteers will clean, feed and provide exercise and socialization for the animals in our care under supervision of staff.

Is this position right for you? 

• Person with a strong desire to reduce stress in the shelter environment
• Professional and safe approach to animal handling
• Takes pride in keeping things neat and tidy
• Willing to get dirty and scoop poop
• Emotionally equipped to handle shelter conditions and long-term residents
• Enjoys interacting animals and people
• Commit 2 hours per week for at least 6 months

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Help clean cat and dog kennels daily—ability to scrub/bend/kneel, lift up to 50
• pounds, and be exposed to animals
• Dishes and laundry
• Feed animals
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others
• Identify and solve concerns through training or experience provided by staff
• Recognize animal body language and respond appropriately
• Move animals in and out of their cages safely
• Be able to physically control animals—walking dogs, carrying cats, etc.
• Read and follow signage
• Provide enrichment
• Socialize and exercise animals
• Prepare enrichment items
• Brush/bathe animals
• Maintain contact with staff and report any concerns
• Recognize signs of illness and injury in animals
• Report concerning behaviors
• Understand disease prevention and transmission in a shelter environment
• Maintain safety for animal and human health 
• Responsible for working scheduled shift

Dress Code:

• Volunteer t-shirt
• Volunteer nametag
• Close toed, non-slip shoes
• Long pants

Cat Cuddlers 

VIT (Volunteer In Training)

• Clean adoptable cats under the supervision of staff or a Level 3 Volunteer 
• Tidy animal kennels—scoop litter box, refill water, provide clean bedding—under the supervision of staff or a Level 3 Volunteer
• Provide in-kennel petting and brushing and treats
• Wash, dry, and put away dishes, toys, and litterboxes
• Wash, dry, fold and put away laundry
• Prepare enrichment toys

Requirements:

• At least 16 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• Receive animal handling training

Level 1

• All VIT duties, plus:
• Independently clean adoptable cats
• At the direction of staff, provide socialization, TLC, and activity time for adoptable cats including out of kennel play time and food dispensing toys
• Dispense enrichment toys/items according to schedule

Requirements:

• At least 16 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• 8 hours, 1-month tenure
• Complete handling checklist

Level 2

• All Level 1 duties, plus:
• Clean stray cats
• Clean PetSmart Adoption Center cats

Requirements:

• At least 18 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• 32 hours, 4-month tenure
• Complete handling checklist
• Complete Fear Free Sheltering 4 Main Modules

Level 3

• All Level 2 duties, plus:
• Clean medical isolation cats
• Medicate stray, adoptable and isolation cats
• Serve as volunteer trainer, if desired

Requirements:

• At least 18 years of age
• 100 hours, 12-month tenure
• Complete Fear Free Sheltering Additional Modules
• Complete medication dispensing training

Canine Champions 

VIT (Volunteer In Training)

• Clean adoptable dogs under the supervision of staff or a Level 3 Volunteer 
• Tidy animal kennels—clean up messes, refill water, provide clean bedding—under the supervision of staff or a Level 3 Volunteer
• Provide treats to animal in kennel
• Wash, dry, and put away dishes and toys
• Wash, dry, fold and put away laundry
• Prepare enrichment toys

Requirements:

• At least 16 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• Receive animal handling training

Level 1

• All VIT duties, plus:
• Independently clean adoptable dogs
• At the direction of staff, provide socialization, TLC, and activity time for adoptable dogs including out of kennel play time and food dispensing toys
• Dispense enrichment toys/items according to schedule

Requirements:

• At least 16 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• 8 hours, 1-month tenure
• Complete handling checklist

Level 2

• All Level 1 duties, plus:
• Walk adoptable dogs off premises per schedule
• Brush and bathe adoptable dogs per schedule

Requirements:

• At least 18 years of age, or 10 years old with a responsible adult partner
• 32 hours, 4-month tenure
• Complete Fear Free Sheltering 4 Main Modules

Level 3

• All Level 2 duties, plus:
• Clean stray dogs
• Medicate adoptable dogs
• Supervise play yard group time
• Serve as volunteer lead, if desired

Requirements:

• At least 18 years of age
• 100 hours, 12-month tenure
• Complete Fear Free Sheltering Additional Modules
• Complete medication dispensing training