Volunteering at an animal shelter is a meaningful and fulfilling way to help the countless animals across NYC in need of a home. Local animal shelters often operate on minimal funding through grants and donations, meaning they are unable to staff as many workers as they need to keep operations running smoothly. They rely on dependable volunteers to provide extra support.
Animal Care Centers of NYC, the largest shelter system in the city, regularly houses more than a thousand animals. Whether you’re thinking of helping at this shelter or one of the many others across the city, here’s what you need to know to volunteer at animal shelters in New York.
If you recently adopted a pet, call our animal hospital in NY to schedule an initial check-up.
What Kinds of Jobs Can Volunteers Do To Help Animal Shelters?
When you picture volunteering at a local animal shelter, you may imagine taking dogs on walks or cleaning up litter boxes. But animal shelters often need help with a wide range of tasks to keep their operations running. You might offer to assist with:
- Doing laundry to keep shelters stocked with clean towels, blankets, and bedding
- Sweeping, mopping, and cleaning animal kennels and cages
- Transporting cats and dogs to vet appointments, adoption events, or their new homes
- Cat socialization to help prepare cats who are scared or were previously feral to succeed in a home environment
- Fostering dogs or cats in your home to give them a break from the shelter and learn more about their personality, so shelters can find the right home for them
- Taking dogs on field trips to a pet-friendly park or through the Starbucks drive-thru for a pup cup; many shelters allow field trips to give dogs a few hours of reprieve from their kennels
- Helping at off-site adoption events, which are some of the most successful methods of finding adopters
- Processing adoption applications and speaking with applicants to understand whether they may be the right fit for their desired pet
With so many volunteer opportunities available, you can find a role that fits your skillset and availability. Different shelters have different jobs available and can provide more information about the necessary time commitment for each.
Getting Started With Animal Shelter Volunteering
Before you can start volunteering with an animal shelter, you will generally need to fill out an application and go through a vetting process. This can differ based on the shelter.
For example, if you’re looking to volunteer with Animal Care Centers of NYC, you’ll follow these steps:
- Attend an in-person volunteer orientation (these typically take place one weekend a month)
- Participate in a virtual group interview
- Pay the volunteer fee (waivers are available)
- Participate in training
- Work your first shift
Other shelters may have less stringent processes, such as filling out an application and speaking with a volunteer coordinator. You may even be able to perform certain volunteer jobs just by showing up, such as walking dogs on site.
Animal shelter volunteers generally need to be at least 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent if they are younger than 18. Visit the website of the animal shelter you would like to volunteer at to find out more information.
Finding Rescue Organization Volunteer Opportunities Across NYC
If you don’t have an animal shelter in mind or are unsure of where to begin looking for volunteer opportunities, here is a list of shelters and animal nonprofits across NYC with links to their volunteer pages:
Tips To Be a Successful Animal Shelter Volunteer
If you want to volunteer at animal shelters in New York, taking the time to understand what makes a volunteer successful can help you have a positive experience with this endeavor. Here are a few tips to help set you up for success:
- Understand your availability and be reliable: While many shelters will take all the help they can get, they prefer volunteers who are available with some level of consistency. They may require you to commit to at least one shift a week. If you don’t have this availability, you may want to wait until your schedule clears to start volunteering.
- Don’t be afraid to do the dirty work: While walking dogs and socializing with cats can be enjoyable, shelters often have a greater need for “dirty work” like cleaning kennels and bathing animals. If you’re open to this type of work, it may provide even more value for your shelter.
- Follow all safety protocols closely: Shelter animals are cute and lovable, but they can also be unpredictable. Many come from unfavorable environments or have never lived in a home before. They might be scared and overwhelmed, which can lead to behaviors they wouldn’t normally exhibit. Follow the shelter’s safety protocols and prioritize your own safety when handling animals.
- Protect your emotional well-being: Volunteering at animal shelters in New York can be emotionally taxing, and you may wish to take home every pet you interact with. Remember that volunteering makes a difference in these animals’ lives and brings them one step closer to finding their forever home through the shelter. If you start experiencing emotional burnout, don’t be afraid to take a break from your volunteer position.
Contact Hudson Animal Hospital for Veterinary Care in NYC
If you’re looking to volunteer at an animal shelter in New York, reaching out to one of the shelters listed above and submitting an application is a good way to find out more information. At Hudson Animal Hospital, we value the hard work of animal shelters and volunteers across the city to keep animals off the streets and connect them with loving homes.
We celebrate Adopt a Cat Month every June in our office and are passionate about helping animals in need. If you’re searching for compassionate cat or dog veterinary services in NYC, give us a call at 212-706-4088 to book an appointment.