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(Requires a volunteer commitment of 6 months or 70 hours and attending a Volunteer Orientation)
All volunteers are required to attend a volunteer orientation before receiving an assignment. Please complete the volunteer application below and plan to attend an upcoming orientation.
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Please e-mail the volunteer department to inquire about upcoming orientation dates.
All orientations begin at 9:00am and will last approximately 2 hours. Orientations will be held in Morse Hall.
Please note that Foster Volunteers are not required to attend this Volunteer Orientation. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Foster Family, please visit the Foster page.
This program provides free food to the pets of homebound seniors, disabled citizens, low income families, wounded warriors, and homeless individuals. Food Packagers customize each client’s food for delivery. Some routes pack weekly while others pack bi-weekly or monthly. Organizational skills and the ability to lift are necessary. Meals Delivery Volunteers pick up the packaged meals from Helen Woodward Animal Center and deliver them to the appropriate locations around the county. Frequency of meal delivery depends on the route. The size of the route depends on the size of car needed. Bin/Barrel Monitors pick up food from donation bins in pet supply stores on a regular basis. 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. A car is necessary.) Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to make deliveries.
AniMeals is a pet–food-on-wheels program that provides free food to the pets of homebound seniors, disabled citizens, low income families, wounded warriors, and the homeless. Junior volunteers 10 years old and up may hold a pet food drive at a local supermarket or other location to collect food for the program. Parental supervision is required. Please request specific guideline information. (The general volunteer orientation is not required.)
Kennel Volunteers
Pets awaiting new homes need extra TLC! Working in the Adoption kennels includes exercising and socializing dogs or cats, kennel and crate cleaning, laundry, dishes, and other various tasks assigned by the Volunteer Supervisor. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old to apply. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled to come in once a week for a 3-hour shift. The set shift times are 7:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m., 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., and 3 p.m.–6 p.m. Shift times can be semi-flexible depending on the volunteer’s schedule. Shifts are available Sundays through Saturdays. Volunteers work with minimum supervision once fully trained. 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.
Front Desk Greeters
The Adoptions front desk is a wonderful place to volunteer for those who enjoy working with both people and animals! Working at the front desk includes answering phones and general client inquiries, checking voicemails, filing paperwork, assisting with client sign-ins and kennel walk-throughs, as well as other various tasks assigned by the Volunteer Supervisor. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old to apply. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled to come in once a week for a 3-hour shift. Shift times are 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., 12 p.m.–3 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Shift times can be semi-flexible depending on the volunteer’s schedule. Shifts are available Sundays through Saturdays. Volunteers work with the front desk manager and supervisor, as well as the front desk customer service representatives. Commitment required is 6 months or 70 hours with a regular weekly schedule.
Medical Volunteers
The Adoptions medical position is a great place to volunteer for those who are looking to gain more experience in the veterinary world! Working in medical includes cleaning kennels, sterilizing instruments, administrating oral medications, assisting with our animal intakes, as well as other various tasks assigned by the medical manager. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to apply. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled to come in once a week for a 3-hour shift. Shift times vary in the medical department, but are typically between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Shifts are available Sundays through Saturdays. Volunteers work with the medical manager, supervisors, and the veterinary assistants. Commitment required is 6 months or 70 hours with a regular weekly schedule.
The Foster department works to make sure that animals coming in to our care have temporary homes until they are ready for adoption. On-Site Foster Volunteers help set up fosters with their animals and ensure they have everything they need to care for them. Duties involve organizing files, stocking supplies, packing supplies, assisting during intake, and helping send animals home. These individuals must be at least 14 years of age to apply. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled to come in once a week for a 3-hour shift and must commit to volunteering for at least 6 months.
Virtual Training Volunteers assist with the foster onboarding process by video chatting with potential fosters to check their homes, and then sending a report to foster staff. These individuals must be at least 21 years of age to apply. Once trained, volunteers are scheduled as needed (typically 3 hours per week) and must commit to volunteering for at least 1 year.
Foster Families care for orphan pets in their home. Volunteers provide varying levels of care for canines and/or felines, including but not limited to bottle feeding, medical assistance, socialization, or simply cuddling and feeding. This is a separate application process. (The general volunteer orientation is not required.) Volunteers participate in an in-person foster orientation and a virtual home check to be approved as a foster. The foster application is available online or from the volunteer office. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Once approved, the volunteer can care for animals 1 week to 4 years of age, as the need arises. (Volunteers are not ‘on-call’ indefinitely). They are called at the time of need to see if they’re available for about 1- 8 weeks, or they can request an animal through the foster website and call to request an animal). The pets are brought back to the Center once they are ready for adoption.
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-12 p.m., 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 11 a.m.–2 p.m., or 12 p.m.–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, we offer TLC and cuddle times out in the sun on the lawn. Our cats look forward to their feather time sessions. Felines also enjoy bubble time, cuddle time and TLC sessions with our volunteers. Volunteers must be at least 18 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 in this position will greet guests as they arrive to our Administration building which currently houses our HR department, Accounting, Development, Operations, etc. Volunteers also answer all incoming calls to the Center and transfer them to the appropriate department. Various tasks such as organizing packets, stuffing goodie bags, organizing paperwork, etc. may be given from departments based on need. Volunteer positions are usually a weekday shift for 3-5 hours. We need volunteers who have organizational and customer service skills as well as attention to detail. Volunteers must be 21 years of age or older.
Therapeutic Riding is dedicated to serving clients with special needs through equine-assisted activities. Equine-assisted activities have a substantial positive impact on a student’s emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development. Volunteers help to provide the necessary environment of safety, support, and fun by assisting in several roles. Volunteers help prepare horses for lessons, and serve as either leaders of the horse or as side walkers, helping the rider with various tasks such as balance, motor skill planning, or focus. Although lessons are the main focus of volunteer duties, volunteers also assist in barn chores, tack cleaning, and grooming. Volunteers are requested to come to the same 4-hour shift on a weekly basis. A 6-month overall commitment is required, though many volunteers stay much longer. Shift times vary depending on lessons, but can range from 12:30 p.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We have no volunteer opportunities on Mondays. Volunteers must be able to help lift and support an adult rider. Junior volunteer openings (ages 16-17) are limited. For junior volunteers, an extensive background of lessons or comparable horse experience is required. We may have several camps in the summer where juniors are needed for 1-2 weeks. A background of lessons or comparable horse experience is highly recommended for all volunteers, but at various times throughout the year a limited number of positions may become available for volunteers 18 and older with limited or no horse experience. Please note, volunteers do not have the opportunity to ride our horses.
Volunteers in the Equine Hospital assist the technicians with animal husbandry like grooming and walking. Occasionally volunteers may assist technicians in cleaning procedure rooms and the barn. This opportunity is generally for those with an interest in attending veterinary school for large animal medicine. Extensive experience with horses is required. A 6-month commitment is required; exceptions are made for summer help. Shifts are once a week for 5 hours and require the ability to be outside in a typical horse environment with ability to hand walk multiple horses. An interview with management is necessary. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
PET involves visits to special needs clients in a variety of health care settings: skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, children’s shelters, mental health facilities to name just a few. PET volunteers use their own dogs that have been screened for both temperament and health by PET personnel and approved for the work (only privately owned dogs are used – not adoptables.) Ask the Manager of Volunteer Services for screening forms to find out if your pet is suited for this type of volunteer work. All 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 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings or early afternoons. 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 that best suits 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.–12 p.m. or (rarely) 12 p.m.–4 p.m.
Volunteers assist the Barn Animal Caregivers with husbandry, cleaning, exercising, and grooming of the hoof-stock 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. Shift: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Our summer camp program has 12 week-long sessions. Junior volunteers ages 14-17 may apply to be teacher assistants for one week, Monday through Friday. (You may apply for more than one week, but it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be able to volunteer for all of the dates that you request.) Junior volunteer assistants help instructors with behavior management as well as setting up and cleaning up for the day.
*Important note to Juniors: This program has a separate application 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 volunteer orientation is not required.) The application period is January through March, with summer assignments made in late April/early May.
Our weekend programs consist of birthday parties, scout field trips and Individual Animal Encounters. Junior volunteers ages 14–17 may apply to assist instructors with these programs. Junior volunteers will help with program set-up/clean-up, face painting, providing hand sanitizer after clients pet animals, and other general helpful assistance as needed by instructors. Volunteers usually work 3-4 hour shifts on Saturday or Sunday from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. or 2 p.m.–5 p.m.
We have five major events here at Helen Woodward where we need volunteers!
Our Paws & Unwind Luncheon is held in March, our annual Spring Fling Gala is a black-tie event in June, PawMicon is held in July, the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon is held at Del Mar Dog Beach each September, and our HOPE Telethon is in November.
Volunteering only for events does not require the general orientation and tour. It does require an onsite 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 control, etc. Limited positions are available for junior volunteers (14 and up.) Contact the Volunteer Department for more information.
In addition to onsite volunteer opportunities, you can also be a part of our Paw Partners Committee which is responsible for getting auction items and sponsorships for our Spring Fling Gala.
Assist our Development team with a variety of tasks including data entry, coin counting and rolling, letter stuffing and folding, inventory and organization, VIP folder assembly, packaging food for Pets Without Walls mobile unit and other office tasks as assigned. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age or older.
Volunteers will be meeting at various off-site locations across San Diego and will assist the Outreach Coordinator to bring free vet care to unhoused/low-income populations in our mobile unit. Volunteer duties include filling out paperwork, checking clients in, greeting and talking to clients, set-up/breakdown, helping to distribute supplies/field client requests and assist cleaning mobile unit after visit. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
Volunteering for our outreach program involves going with a member of our Development team to offsite events at locations around San Diego County through our Business Buddies program.
Volunteers will assist with set up/take down, handing out brochures and providing information about the Center’s programs and events. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age or older 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 or older.
Be a part of the adoption process and assist Adoption clients with purchasing items needed to go home with their new pet! Paws in the Ranch offers leashes, collars, pet food and more. Volunteers will be responsible for ringing up sales, assisting with inventory, interacting with clients regarding pet products available and restocking as needed. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
Due to Hurricane Hilary, all departments will be closing at 3pm today. Stay safe!