Volunteer FAQ

What kind of things can I do as a volunteer?

There are many ways to get involved! As a volunteer, you can help care for and train our animals, support adoption and fundraising events, distribute pet food to local families, assist veterinary staff in our medical center, welcome visitors and answer calls at the shelter, contribute to administrative projects, and more. Check out HRA’s intro video describing various programs you can get involved in. 

What kinds of animals can I work with?

After completing specialized training, volunteers can interact with the dogs, cats, and other animals that are available for adoption. Some volunteers choose to focus on one species, while others enjoy working with multiple species during different shifts.

Please note: After orientation, you’ll need to complete additional animal handling training before working directly with the animals.

What are your hours? When are you open to volunteers?

We offer volunteer opportunities around the clock, every day of the week—including weekends and holidays! Most opportunities take place between 7 AM and 7 PM daily. You can view the available volunteer shifts after you complete your Amplify registration.

To help our teams plan, we ask all volunteers to sign up for a shift (or two) online before coming in.

What is the time commitment as a volunteer?

In general, we don’t require a set time commitment to volunteer. Specific volunteer roles have monthly hourly requirements, which are discussed during training. 

We find that volunteers who are able to commit to 8 hours each month, or about 2 hours each week, tend to be the most satisfied with their volunteer experience and make the greatest impact!

When Can I Start?

Get started now by signing up and viewing the intro videos here: 

You will then be prompted to create your volunteer account in our volunteer management system, Amplify. Once your Volunteer Agreement is signed and approved in Amplify (typically within 48 hours), you’ll be able to view and sign up for our posted opportunities.

Is there an age requirement for volunteers?

Volunteers in the shelter must be 18 years or older. However, please check out this list of youth projects that contribute greatly to our programs. 

How can my group, company, or organization volunteer?

To learn more about our Corporate Partnerships and Employee Engagement opportunities, please visit our Partnership page.

To learn more about volunteering as a group or club groups, please visit the Group Volunteers page.

Can I take HRA animals home?

Yes! You can temporarily care for an animal through our long-term or short-term foster programs—or make it permanent by adopting.

Click here to learn more about our foster program. 

Can I still volunteer if I have accessibility needs?

Yes! We have a variety of volunteer opportunities to meet most individual’s interests and are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities in fulfilling their volunteer roles. Please note that we have many remote volunteer opportunities in addition to ones in-shelter.