Volunteer

Spay/Neuter Clinic Aide
There are a number of ways in which S/N Clinic Aides participate in the smooth running of the spay/neuter clinic while assisting the Surgical Assistants. Included are:
• Patient Recovery – you will be trained to assist the Veterinary Assistant with recovering patients after they have been spayed or neutered.
• Surgical Pack preparation – surgical instruments are cleaned, disinfected, sanitized and organized into surgical packs, ready to be used for subsequent surgeries. Training is provided.
• Supply Inventory – regular inventory is taken of medical supplies to ensure supplies are instock and/or need to be ordered.
• Post-surgical monitoring – Once patients have recovered, they need to be checked regularly in their kennels. Surgery staff are kept updated to ensure patients are ready for discharge. Volunteers ensure kennels remain clean and remove any feces, dirty towels, blankets. Upon discharge, kennels are sanitized and ready for the next day of surgery.
• Discharge – This may include handing out post-surgical paperwork and/or supplies, as well as assisting a pet owner to their vehicle with their pet.
• Laundry Aide – ensuring clinic laundry is done throughout the day, ready for the next day of surgery.

• Dog walkers provide essential exercise and socialization for the dogs at the shelter. They take dogs out for walks, help them burn off energy, and provide them with the mental stimulation they need. This role is particularly important for keeping dogs healthy and happy while they wait for their forever homes.
• In addition to walking dogs at the shelter, another opportunity for dog walkers is to provide volunteer assistance at offsite adoption events. Offsite adoption events give dogs the ability to be ‘seen’ outside of the shelter environment - a “field trip!”
• If you love dogs and enjoy spending time outdoors, this role could be perfect for you. It requires a moderate level of physical fitness, as you’ll be walking dogs of various sizes. Staff will match a dog to your level of experience, to ensure a rewarding walking experience for both you and your dog walking companion! Dog walking is often a flexible volunteer position, allowing you to choose times that work with your schedule.

Pet Allies provides pet food and supplies assistance to those in need in the community. Pantry volunteers help pack food and items for distribution, organize the pantry, and can also assist at the twice monthly ‘Community Pet Pantry Days’, held every other Monday. Packing schedule can be flexible, according to volunteer availability.

Cat socializers spend time with the shelter’s cats, helping them to adjust to life in the shelter and preparing them for adoption. This can include playing with them in the cat playroom, petting them, or simply sitting with them to provide companionship and human reassurance. Socialization is key to helping shy or stressed cats feel more comfortable around people.

• This role is ideal if you’re a cat lover and enjoy quieter, more relaxed interactions with animals. It’s a great way to make a significant impact on the well-being of the shelter’s cats without being physically demanding. Cat socializing is usually flexible, making it easy to fit into your schedule.

Cleanliness is critical in an animal shelter and spay/neuter clinic to prevent the spread of disease and ensure the animals live in a comfortable environment. If you have a strong attention to detail, and are a ‘whiz’ at laundry, this role would be a good fit for you. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that you are contributing to the well-being of both shelter animals and the patients of our spay/neuter clinic.

The Event Volunteer Coordinator is the ‘right hand’ to the Board of Directors, ensuring that events run smoothly from start to finish and are a success for Pet Allies! The Event Coordinator handles details for major events such as coordinating the events team, vendor management and communication, on-site supervision, and client relations.
If you enjoy developing event concepts, working with budgets and love organization, this is the role for you!
Event Volunteers assist with organizing and running events that are crucial to raising funds and awareness for the shelter. This can include setting up for adoption events, helping with fundraising activities, and assisting at community outreach events. Tasks might involve anything from decorating and staffing booths to handling animals during public events such as offsite adoption events.
If you enjoy working in a team, have a flexible schedule, and like being part of events, this role could be a great match. It’s less physically demanding but requires good organizational and interpersonal skills. Event volunteering is often sporadic, making it a good option if you can’t commit to regular shifts but want to help when you’re available.

Administrative volunteers help with the day-to-day operations of the shelter and spay/neuter clinic by performing tasks such as answering phones, greeting clients/visitors, filing paperwork, entering data into databases, and assisting with volunteer coordination.
If you have strong organizational skills and prior office experience, this might be the role for you. This position often offers more regular hours. This is a great way to contribute if you prefer working in a structured environment and have skills in administration or data entry.

• Responsible for the daily care of a foster animal, including feeding, exercising, playtime, socialization, grooming, reinforcing basic obedience commands (dogs) and, of course, providing patience, love and security.
• Pet Allies will provide all necessary medical care and will provide full support throughout the foster period.
• Must be willing to work with the pet to help them get ready for adoption. This may include housebreaking, basic training, socialization, etc.
• You may also need to transport the foster animal to scheduled medical appointments and/or adoption events and photoshoots as well as administer any required medications.
• Providing foster care will certainly be a rewarding experience as you are enabling the animal to go on to the greatest adventure – a place where he/she will be cherished and loved until a great forever home is found.
Requirements: To be a successful foster parent, you will need a compassionate nature, flexibility, willingness to follow instructions, and interest and/or knowledge of animal behavior. Frequent email updates are required, and responsiveness to our team is critical to the success of our foster program. Must have reliable computer as well as internet service and transportation. A fenced yard is preferred, but not necessary for dog foster parents. Cat/kitten fosters are indoor only.
Types of dogs or cats requiring Foster Care:
• Puppies or kittens under 3 months of age without their mother – will require frequent ‘bottle-feeding’ if less than 4-6 weeks of age
• Puppies or kittens with their mother, when the shelter environment may not be appropriate
• Animals requiring short term medication treatment plans not achievable in the shelter setting
• Senior or Geriatric Pets that may require hospice care
• Short term decompression from the shelter environment

Reflect on how you want to make an impact. Some roles allow for direct interaction with animals, while others support the shelter and spay/neuter clinic’s operations in an equally important way.
Volunteering is a rewarding way to make a difference in the lives of animals, as well as the community. Whether you’re walking dogs, doing laundry, assisting with office duties, or helping with events, every role is vital to the success of Pet Allies.
By understanding the different volunteer opportunities and matching them with your skills, interest, experience and availability, you can find the perfect role that will not only benefit Pet Allies but also provide you with a rewarding and enriching experience.