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VOLUNTEER & EDUCATION

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION SCHEDULE

The volunteer orientation is held at the City of Sacramento Animal Shelter at 2127 Front Street. The upcoming dates and times are:

Wednesday, May 16 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 26 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, June 13 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 23 9:00 am - 10:30 pm
Wednesday, July 11 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 14 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Sunday July 22 10:00 am - 11:30 am

To reserve a spot at the orientation, please call 916-808-8166 or email AC-Volunteers@cityofsacramento.org. We ask that the volunteer application and agreement be submitted to us before attending the volunteer orientation. Thank you!
 
WELCOME!

Thank you for your interest in the City of Sacramento Animal Care Services!

Shelter staff and volunteers care for thousands of homeless and unwanted animals each year. We truly depend on our volunteer team to provide support for all of our programs and services.

In the below section titled "Volunteer Information," you will find a summary of the job descriptions for all of our available volunteer positions as well as a volunteer application and a volunteer agreement. Fill out and sign the application and the agreement and be sure to tell us which position(s) you are most interested in pursuing. Your application will be reviewed and we will determine if your interests and availability match our current volunteer needs. Please understand that there may be a waiting list for some of the volunteer opportunities.

We ask for a 6-month commitment for most of our volunteer positions, so please be realistic in determining the amount of time that you can give.

The minimum age requirement for volunteering at our shelter is 13 years old. Any person under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult during the orientation and during the time of volunteering. For those who are under the age of 13, we have community service project ideas that can be done outside of the shelter.

If you feel you can make a commitment to the animals, please return the application and the agreement to the shelter. You can drop off the paperwork in person or mail them to:

City of Sacramento Animal Care Services
ATTN: Volunteer Department
2127 Front Street    Sacramento, CA   95818


After you submit your application and agreement, you will need to attend the shelter’s volunteer orientation class, which is held at the shelter at 2127 Front Street. To reserve a spot at the orientation, please call 916-808-8166 or email AC-Volunteers@cityofsacramento.org.

Finally, if this is for you, then we’ll schedule you for your training. If you have any questions, you may contact the shelter at 916-808-7387.
 

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

You must be at least 13 years old to become a volunteer and at least 18 years old to work independently. If you are under 18 years old, then you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when you attend the orientation and when you perform your volunteer service.

The available days and times to volunteer are Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm as well as during any special events.

If you wish to assist in other areas involving the shelter, check out the following links:

If you have any questions, you may contact us at AC-Volunteers@cityofsacramento.org.

VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH DOGS

Volunteers who wish to work directly with our available dogs are trained in safe and appropriate methods of exercising and socializing our canine friends. The goal is to help our dogs remain happy, healthy, and well-adjusted during their stay at the shelter. Volunteers will exercise dogs, provide some basic obedience training to them, help us provide better information about their personalities, and promote their adoptions.

Dog volunteers must complete all training before working with the dogs. This will include:

  • Orientation -- a general overview of volunteer programs
  • General Shelter Training -- shelter policies, volunteer policies, animal laws, shelter tour, etc.
  • Canine Capers -- specific work with our dogs
  • Good Manners Classes -- dog obedience training
  • Mentoring with a Lead Volunteer

The total training hours prior to volunteering is approximately 10 hours.

VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH CATS

Volunteers who wish to work directly with our available cats are trained in safe and appropriate methods of socializing and caring for our feline friends. The goal is to help our cats remain happy, healthy, and well-adjusted during their stay at the shelter. Volunteers will provide "TLC" to our shelter cats, help refresh cages, assist with laundry and dish cleaning, provide basic assistance to customers, and handle cats at offsite adoption events.

Cat volunteers must complete all training before working with the cats. Training includes:

  • Orientation -- a general overview of volunteer programs
  • General Shelter Training -- shelter policies, volunteer policies, animal laws, shelter tour, etc.
  • Feline Follies -- specific work with our cats
  • Mentoring with a Lead Volunteer

The total training hours prior to volunteering is approximately 8 hours.

VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH RABBITS

Volunteers who wish to work directly with our available rabbits are trained in safe and appropriate methods of socializing and caring for our furry friends. The goal of this volunteer job is to help our rabbits remain happy, healthy, and well-adjusted during their stay at the shelter. Volunteers will provide "TLC" to our shelter rabbits, help refresh cages, and assist in other related tasks.

Rabbit volunteers must complete all training before working with the rabbits. Training includes:

  • Orientation -- a general overview of volunteer programs
  • General Shelter Training -- shelter policies, volunteer policies, animal laws, shelter tour, etc.
  • Rabbit Training -- specific work with our rabbits

The total training hours prior to volunteering is approximately 5 hours.
COMMUNITY-SERVICE PROJECTS
DONATIONS

Your donations help improve the lives of the animals at our shelter. For a complete list of items that we would like donated, please see our Donation Wish List pdf file (Adobe PDF).

916-264-5011

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