Volunteer

Time Commitment and Training: Must have read the volunteer manual and attend training. The lead volunteer will train you and is responsible for moving you up to each level.

Responsibilities: Safely remove dogs; spend quality time with the dogs via walks, time in their kennel and / or play yard; and work with them on basic commands such as watch me, sit, down, stay and come according to the training you are provided. A person in this position should try to provide a calming, comfortable presence for the dogs that are available for adoption. Dog walkers will also be able and encouraged to provide comments on the dog’s personality to staff so notes can be made on the dog’s paperwork to disclose to potential adopters. While we appreciate positive feedback, this also goes for any fearful, aggressive behavior observed. As a volunteer, it is your responsibility to also report questionable behavior so staff can evaluate.

Time Commitment and Training: Must have read the volunteer manual and attend training. The lead cat volunteer or a staff member will give you a tour around the cat rooms, discuss the color code system, and further discuss the rules and regulations. As a reminder, all volunteers start with the green dotted cats. It is up to the lead cat volunteer if you are ready to move up and handle more difficult cats.

Responsibilities: Once training has been complete, a person in this position will spend quality time with the cats that are for adoption. Cat Socializers are expected to follow rules regarding socializing cats and must adhere to posted signs and directions. You will need to be comfortable working with the public and provide”service with a smile”. Do not try to answer questions if you do not know the answer but defer to a staff member. We do not want anyone to walk away with a bad experience due to lack of good customer service. It is encouraged that volunteers pass on any notes on the cat’s behavior and temperament (good or bad) to the staff so we can make notes in order to disclose to any potential adopter.

Time Commitment and Training: fill out a foster application and we will go over some questions and discuss your experience and comfort level with the age and temperament of animals that we may need foster for. If you are already a volunteer you would still need to fill out a foster application and additional training may be required depending on your interest.

Responsibilities: Provide temporary care in your home for animals who are in need of medical or behavioral rehabilitation, or are too young to stay in a shelter environment. A foster period can range from one week to a month or more, depending on the need. They would be preferably cared for in a separate area and away from other animals if possible. You must be reachable and available for trips to the shelter for supplies, calls from the staff for updates or reminders, testing and/or vaccinations. Work with shelter staff for all aspects of care, most importantly, all medical care.

Time Commitment and Training: Because WCJCAS has a small staff trained todo adoptions, it is very helpful when volunteers can assist with this duty so that we do not miss out on adopting animals due to lack of staff. To be a successful adoption counselor, one must have an understanding of basic training, housebreaking, crate training, customer service skills and dealing with difficult people at times. Knowledge of our adoption procedure is also necessary. You do not have to be an expert on animals— you will discover that your own personal experience in adopting and taking care of animals is very valuable knowledge as well and something people can relate to. We have brochures and handouts available to educate people on common problems that might arise after adopting a new pet.

Responsibilities: Follow adoption procedure thoroughly, engage the public and be polite, properly complete adoption and microchip paperwork.Call and make vet appointments as needed.

Time Commitment and Training: This volunteer position is awarded based on proven commitment to WCJCAS. Volunteers having this title have many things in common: they respect the rules; are cross-trained on many tasks; offer ideas and solutions to problems; enjoy training other volunteers; have maintained an active status for several months/years; and have leadership abilities, among other traits. Appointment to this position requires you to be nominated by other lead volunteers with the final decision being made by management.

Responsibilities: Train new volunteers on the rules of WCJCAS and socializing and exercising animals; help enforce the rules of the shelter and report any misconduct or safety issue; be a resource for new volunteers and management; and meet with management as needed. Other duties may apply.

Welcome guests as they enter the shelter and direct them to the area they are looking for or the person who can help them. You must be friendly and outgoing , have good customer service skills and be a people-person. We are extremely lucky to have a community that donates supplies to our shelter. The adoption greeter will assist visitors bringing donations into the shelter by helping them carry items from their vehicle and opening the door.

Front Desk volunteers at the WCJCAS provide support for Admission Counselors. Front Desk volunteers assist with lost pet walk-throughs of the shelter, lost and found searches, welcoming and directing visitors appropriately, answering phone calls and delivering messages. You may be asked to look up information about the shelter animals and answer questions about shelter animals for our visitors and assist with adoptions.

Scrubbing Bubbles volunteers help keep our dirty laundry at a manageable level. We all know animals can be messy but that’s ok. We have amazing volunteers who assist us in doing laundry and dishes. Volunteers are needed to put laundry in the washer, move to the dryer, fold, and put on shelves.

These volunteers play an important role in the health and well-being of our canine residents and help ensure a pleasant, nice-smelling visit for our visitors to the shelter. Poop Patrol volunteers help ensure that our dogs have a clean environment to call home. This means monitoring the kennel area for urine or feces and making sure the dogs have clean, dry bedding. You will be using bleach water to mop up any accidents our canine residents may have. You may be asked to scoop poop in our outside public dog walking areas and assist visitors with removing and returning dogs to their kennel – by showing visitors the proper way to use our slip leads.

This position is great for volunteers who would like to spend more one-on-one time with the dogs. These volunteers provide extra socialization and enrichment for the dogs. They can provide some training on basic manners, take dogs on the concrete runs to play, or simply sit with the dog for some quiet time in their kennel or a meet/greet room. The dogs really benefit from one-on-one time and many may welcome some brushing or massage time. The shelter can be a scary, loud place and these volunteers can help comfort shy timid dogs.

Dog Bathing volunteers can really help increase a dog’s chance of finding a forever home. These volunteers can use our grooming room to bathe dogs that may not be picture-perfect when they enter the shelter. All volunteers must ask a lead volunteer which dogs can be bathed. Never bath a dog without asking a staff member or lead volunteer first; some dogs may have just had surgery or a flea preventative applied. Bathing these dogs may be harmful to them.

These volunteers must be brave, cat-loving people. The shelter will receive many tiny kittens that are not socialized and have never been touched by a human. Typically, they were born to a feral or community cat. Many of these kittens quickly learn that humans are not bad and they can go on to lead a wonderful life as a loving indoor cat. Tiny Lion Tamers are people who will sit and hold/socialize these tiny feral kittens. This can be a very rewarding but dangerous job.

We are in need of patient people with good photography skills. Anyone who owns a cat or has ever tried to take pictures of a cat knows this can be a very difficult task. Every animal that enters the shelter will have a photo taken at intake. We are extremely fortunate to have a professional photographer who volunteers his time to take photographs of our canine residents. We are searching for volunteers to help take photographs of our feline residents once they have had time to settle into their new cage. All pictures will be used on our website to help showcase our beautiful animals and hopefully catch someone’s eye.