From in-shelter support to at-home foster care, volunteers support every facet of our work. Together, we're creating a more humane world for animals.
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. If you're younger than 16, there are other ways to get involved.
- AHS requires a one-year commitment to volunteering. In-shelter opportunities require a minimum of one regularly scheduled, recurring shift every other week. Shifts are 2-4 hours depending on assignment.
- Volunteers must read and comprehend detailed policy and protocol information and remember and follow shelter rules.
- Human interaction is a requirement of all volunteer roles. Volunteers must always communicate professionally.
- Volunteers must understand and fulfill all responsibilities of their role independently.
- Most volunteer roles require volunteers to stand, and/or walk for up to three hours; lift and carry up to 20 pounds; reach and lift; possess vision abilities including close vision, distance vision and depth perception; and speak to customers, employees, and other volunteers.
Application process
- Complete online application. Once the application is submitted, you’ll pay a $25 application fee and then get a link to watch an information session.
- Once all of the application materials are received, you’ll get an email with an interview invitation. These invitations are sent out once per week.
In-shelter applicants
In-person interview with a Volunteer Services Coordinator. The coordinator will let you know within 1-2 weeks if you’ve been accepted into the program.
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If accepted, you’ll receive an email inviting you to complete online training; you have 14 days to complete this training.
- Once online training is complete, the coordinator will contact you to set up two in-shelter training shifts. After those are completed, you’ll work with your volunteer coordinator to set up a regular, bi-weekly schedule.
Foster applicants
Phone interview with the Foster Coordinator. The coordinator will let you know within 1-2 weeks if you’ve been accepted into the program.
- If accepted, you’ll receive an email inviting you to complete online training; you have 14 days to complete this training.
- Once online training is complete, the coordinator will confirm that you are ready to receive foster request emails.
Current volunteers
Log in to Volgistics or Learning Lab.