Our Golden Valley location is our most popular in terms of volunteer service. While we are fortunate to have a great deal of community support, this does result in longer wait times for prospective volunteers to begin. In fairness to you, we want to set realistic expectations. From filling out an application to actually beginning your volunteer role can take up to three months.

Entry Level Volunteer Roles Available in Golden Valley
no experience necessary, new volunteers welcomed
click on the role title for a full position description

Adoption Support  (There are currently no shifts available in Dog Adoption on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in Golden Valley.) Volunteers working in Adoption Support provide two important roles in helping to fulfill our mission. The first is animal socialization that helps keep our animals happy, healthy and adoptable. The second is customer assistance on the adoption floor, helping connect animals in our care to their new homes. Volunteers work with the dogs, cats and small mammals. Volunteer shifts are between 12pm and 8pm Monday to Friday, and between 9am and 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. To apply for this position, click here.

Dog Walker Volunteers provide Adoption Floor dogs with needed exercise and socialization. Dog Walking shifts are in the morning only, 7 days a week. To apply for this position, click here.

Foster Volunteers working as fosters provide important support for animals that are currently not suitable for adoption, but with time and/or medical care, will be. Foster volunteers help these animals get that extra time they need in order to be suitable for adoption and find a home by bringing these animals into their homes for a short while as they are readied for adoption. To apply for this position, click here. 

Training Support One of the ways in which Animal Humane Society engages the community to help the animals is by providing training and behavior programming. These programs create well-behaved and manageable pets, which are more likely to stay in their current homes and less likely to end up in the shelter system. Through this work, volunteers working with the training department play a pivotal support role in keeping animals in their homes.  No experience required. To apply for this position, click here.

Education Programs Support Volunteers working in this role assist with PetSet Youth Club or our Unleashed Express Mini Camps, two programs we offer to youth in our community. PetSet and Unleashed are both led by AHS Humane Educators and volunteers lend their time and experience to help ensure great experiences for youth. Volunteers assist educators by making sure that activities run smoothly and that the kids get the instructional attention they need. There are also opportunities for volunteers to get more involved by developing curriculum and planning and preparing fun and educational activities. To apply for this position, click here.

Wildlife Transport Volunteers working as Wildlife Transporters provide needed transportation to injured wildlife as they move to a rehabilitation and rescue facility to receive the care and treatment they need. To apply for this position, click here.

Animal Ambassadors Volunteers working as Animal Ambassadors demonstrate the great value animals can have in our communities as therapeutic resources. Volunteers in this role use their own trained therapy animals on visits to nursing homes, hospitals, etc. To apply for this position, click here.

Kindest Cut We need volunteers to work with our partner, Kindest Cut LLC, at every site and in other locations throughout Minnesota. These volunteers assist with client interactions and surgical materials preparation for low cost spay and neuter services. To apply for this position, click here.

Advanced Volunteer Roles  
(current AHS volunteers can be considered for advanced roles once they have successfully completed 36 hours of work in adoption floor support)

Animal Care Assistant Volunteer Volunteers working in Animal Care help fulfill the mission by providing animals with clean, comfortable housing that leads to healthier happier and ultimately more adoptable animals. 

Exam Volunteer Volunteers working in the Exam Department provide support to the Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians during the animals’ exam process and help provide treatment to the animals in our care.  

Surgery Suite Volunteer Volunteers working in the Surgery Department provide support to the Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians in order to efficiently Spay/Neuter the thousands of animals who are surrendered to the Animal Humane Society each year.  

Wildlife Exam Volunteers working in the Wildlife Exam Room provide injured wildlife with the care and treatment they need to recover from a wide range of maladies.

Adoption Preparation Volunteers working in Adoption Preparation use specific behavior modification protocols to help prepare shy and fearful animals for the adoption floor and help them ultimately find a new home.

If you would like to apply, please continue here.