You Can Make a Difference...Volunteer!

Pets awaiting new homes need extra TLC! Working in the Adoptions Department includes exercising and socializing dogs or cats, kennel cleaning, grooming, laundry and clerical duties. Volunteers must be at least 14-years-old to apply. Openings are very limited. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled to come in once a week for a 3-hour shift. Shift times start at 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. ending at 6 p.m. Shifts available Sundays through Saturdays. Volunteers work with minimum supervision. Volunteers working with dogs need to be physically able to handle very large, enthusiastic dogs. Commitment required is 6 months or 70 hours with a regular weekly schedule.

Care for pets in your home.  Volunteers provide varying levels of care for orphan dogs or cats, ranging from a warm quiet place to promote weight gain, to socializing with humans, noises and new surroundings. Our most intensive level of care requires bottle feeding or medical administration round the clock. This is a separate application process. (The general adult volunteer orientation is not required.) Volunteers participate in an interview and training process for certification. The foster application is available from the Foster Department. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Once trained, the volunteer’s name is put on a list to be called to care for baby animals 2-8 weeks of age, as the need arises. (Volunteers are not “on-call” indefinitely.  They are called at the time of need to see if they are available for about 2-8 weeks.) The pets are brought back to the Center after foster goals are met.

Our AniMeals program provides free food to the pets of homebound elderly or disabled people. Volunteer jobs include:
Route Representatives: Pick up food from donation bins in pet supply stores. You build rapport with store employees, helping them understand how beneficial AniMeals is to their stores and to the pets who receive the food (once per week or twice per month/car necessary).
Food Packagers: Custom package a week’s worth of meals for each pet (once per week), organizational skills necessary.
Meal Delivery: People pick up the packaged meals and deliver to Meals on Wheels Centers (once per week/car necessary).  Volunteers must be at least 18-years-old to make deliveries.

AniMeals is a pet food-on-wheels program that provides regular meals free of charge for the dogs and cats of homebound elderly and ill people. Junior volunteers 10-years-old and up may hold a pet food drive at a local supermarket. Parental supervision is required.  Please request specific guideline information. (The general adult volunteer orientation is not required.)

Club Pet is looking for energetic volunteers to give our boarding dogs and cats lots of attention and TLC! Volunteers are needed 7 days a week. You must be able to commit to a 3-hour block of time, once per week, for at least 6 months. Our volunteer shifts are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Our dogs and cats miss their families, so our volunteers step in to give them the love and attention they need while boarding. Volunteers exercise our dogs by taking them on walks and doing off-leash field play. For our older dogs, TLC and cuddle times in the kennel or out in the sun on the lawn are offered. Our cats look forward to their feather toy time. Felines also enjoy bubble time, cuddle time and TLC sessions with our volunteers. Volunteers must be at least 16-years-old to handle animals. Volunteers must also pass our dog handling class, which is given as part of the Club Pet volunteer orientation and training program. Volunteers can be at least 14-16 years of age to help with cleaning kennels, doing laundry and washing dishes only.

Therapeutic Riding emphasizes the use of the horse as a means of recreational sports riding for individuals with challenges. The Therapeutic Riding lesson provided is instrumental in improving a rider’s emotional, social and physical development. Volunteers help to provide the necessary environment of support, education and therapy. Volunteers assist in individual lessons, either as leaders of the horse or as side walkers, helping the rider with balance and motor skill planning. Care and grooming of the horses are also involved. Volunteers are requested to come to the same lessons on a weekly basis, usually a 3-5 hour shift per week. A 6-month overall commitment is required. Shift times range from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Volunteers must be able to help lift and support an adult rider. Junior volunteer openings (ages 16-17) are very limited. For junior volunteers, an extensive background of lessons or comparable horse experience is required. (Volunteers do not have the opportunity to ride our horses.) We may have several camps in the summer where juniors are needed for 1-2 weeks (Tuesday-Friday.) Call the Manager of Volunteer Services at 858-756-4117 ext.305 for details. A background of lessons or comparable horse experience is required for all volunteers.

Pet Encounter Therapy (P.E.T.) involves taking a variety of animals to visit patients in convalescent homes, hospitals, shelters and mental health facilities. (P.E.T. is for adult volunteers only.) Volunteers use Center-owned rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles and birds. The only dogs used in this program are owned by individual volunteers, after screening by P.E.T. personnel. Ask the Manager of Volunteer Services for screening forms to find out if your pet is suited for this type of volunteer work. All volunteers begin training with Center-owned rabbits and guinea pigs. Volunteer-owned dogs are screened and introduced to the program after the volunteer is trained. This rewarding program requires patience and an outgoing personality. A commitment of four shifts (usually 3 hours each) per month, scheduled in advance is requested. Generally this program is on weekday mornings or early afternoons. Saturday shifts are very limited. Volunteers must be at least 18-years-old.

Volunteers assist the Exotic Animal Caregivers with husbandry, cleaning, exercising and socializing of the exotic pets used in our Education and Pet Encounter Therapy programs. The animals are divided into three different categories including: amphibians and reptiles, birds, and small mammals (chinchillas, guinea pigs, and rabbits.) Volunteers will typically start in just one category of animal as is deemed to best suit their exotic pet experience, but there are opportunities for growth into the other animal categories with time and commitment. Volunteers must be at least 14-years-old. A 6-month or 70-hour commitment is required. Shifts: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or (rarely) 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers assist the Barn Animal Caregivers with husbandry, cleaning, exercising and grooming of the hoofstock and barnyard creatures used in our Education and Pet Encounter Therapy programs. The animals can include a variety such as: alpacas, chickens, goats, invertebrates, miniature horses and sheep. Volunteers must have some prior animal experience and attention to safety in order to work with these larger animals. Volunteers must be at least 14-years-old. A 6-month or 70-hour commitment is required. The shift is 9 a.m. to noon.

Volunteers assist staff in final adoption paperwork, pet supply sales and answer phones. Be a part of sending an animal home with his or her new family! Customer service experience needed. Ability to learn to use computerized register required. Volunteers must be at least 21-years-old. Volunteers commit to two 3-hour shifts per week for 6 months.

Our summer camp program has nine week-long sessions. Junior volunteers, ages 14 and up, may apply to be teacher assistants for one week, Monday through Friday. Junior volunteer assistants help instructors teach pet responsibility to students (student ages 4-10), resulting in greater compassion for all living things.
*Important Note to Juniors: This program has a separate application, interview and training program to teach classroom leadership skills and determine junior volunteer readiness to be classroom assistants. The Critter Camp application is available in January or early February. (The general adult volunteer orientation is not required.) The application period is January through March, with summer assignments made in late April/early May.

Our fundraising events include the Spring Fling black-tie gala (early June), HOPE Telethon (October/November), the Puppy Love 5K Run/Walk (March) and Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon (September.) Volunteering only for events does not require the general orientation and tour. It does require an on-site training session and a 5-8 hour shift on the day of the event. Tasks include set-up, take-down, registration, auction sales, cashiering, vendor assistance, course marshals, etc. Limited positions are available for junior volunteers (14 and up) with parental supervision at the training and the event. Ask for a Special Event sign-up form.

Be a part of planning fun and productive events. Opportunities are available to take on leadership and support roles for fundraising events. Positions include marketing and fundraising, planning and completion of tasks within deadlines, clerical and phone assistance, preparation of mailings, set-up and take-down on the day of the event, etc. Opportunities to help with securing event underwriting, auction items and sponsorships may also be available. Volunteers see projects through from beginning to end, including the many details of major events.

This program involves volunteers going to various locations around San Diego County (such as malls, stores, etc.), setting up a booth and soliciting donations for the Center, as well as talking with the public about Center programs and handing out brochures. At most events, an adoptable dog is brought to increase traffic. NOTE: In order to transport/handle any adoption animals, you must complete the Animal Handling Training class. Classes are scheduled usually following a Volunteer Orientation. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age to participate in this program.

Orphaned Objects is a boutique-style shop offering some of the best deals in San Diego. We carry one-of-a-kind items, furniture, home décor, games and toys, books, jewelry, art, clothing, shoes, sports equipment, pet products and more.  All sales at Orphaned Objects Resale Shop benefit the programs and pets at Helen Woodward Animal Center. Volunteers help ring up sales, organize and sort through inventory, assist with projects as needed from the store manager and tag items for sale. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

We often joke that the animals will not do any paperwork, but the reality is that the office (the administrative and fundraising side of our work) is invaluable fuel for all of the programs for the people and animals that we serve. The Center uses Microsoft Office software, including Word, Access and Excel. Volunteer positions are usually a weekday shift for 3-5 hours. We need volunteers who have organizational skills and attention to details.