I Want to Volunteer

Teens ages 16-18 are welcome to watch our online orientation here and become a Level 1 Volunteer, which has no direct animal handling. Once they have our Under 18 Waiver signed by a parent or guardian, they can volunteer independently at the shelter.

Kids from ages 12-18 years old are able to attend volunteering sessions with their parents, while following a few simple guidelines:

• Their parents have signed the Under 18 Volunteer Waiver
• Their parents have completed Level 1 or higher volunteer orientation (and only do volunteer activities appropriate for that level)
• Their parents always supervise them and never leave them unattended
• The under-18 volunteer may interact with the pet once the adult volunteer has securely moved the pet to a meet-and-greet area. But the under-18 volunteer may never have control of the pet, i.e. never hold the leash while walking, never take a pet out of or put a pet back in the kennel.

We don’t currently offer any volunteer opportunities in the shelter for children under age 12. Here are a few things we recommend to encourage kids’ desire to help pets:

Host a Supply Drive

Your child can encourage people at their school, church, or club to collect items for the pets at the animal shelter.

Get Crafty & Make DIY Pet Toys

With some inexpensive supplies (and many items you may already have at home), your child can DIY some toys for shelter dogs and cats. Here’s a handy guide on how to make some fun toys! Please note some of the instructions in this guide require scissors, so supervise accordingly.