Volunteer Opportunities

Foster Family
Description:  Foster parents give a second chance to orphaned puppies and kittens, animals with minor behavior problems and sick or injured animals until they are ready for adoption. Potential foster parents must complete an application and be interviewed. Training is provided.
Location:  Your Home
Age:  Foster parents must be at least 18 years old 

Shelter Assistant
Description:  Shelter Assistants counsel potential adopters about the responsibilities of pet ownership while showing potential adopters the various animals in the shelter. Volunteers keep animals comfortable by maintaining clean kennels. This volunteer position requires bending, lifting, light scrubbing and direct contact with the animals. Opportunities available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 1pm – 5pm. Tuesday 1pm – 6:30 pm. and Saturday 10am – 5 pm. Volunteers must be able to commit to one, two hour time frame the same day each week or every other week or monthly.
Location:  CHHS
Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old 

Behavior Helpline Volunteer
Description:  Behavior Helpline volunteers provide behavior counseling by phone and mail, to pet owners who are experiencing problems with their pet that might otherwise cause them to relinquish that pet to an animal shelter. Behavior Helpline volunteers must have some type of prior, positive reinforcement animal obedience/behavior training and be willing to evaluate situations in the owners home should the need arise.
Location:  Your home with telephone or the pet owners’ home
Age:  Behavior Helpline volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. 

Adoption Counselor/Clerical Volunteer
Description:   Provide weekly adoption follow up phone calls and assistance with mailings. Counselor/Clerical opportunities are available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Adoption Counselor must commit to one hour on the same day weekly and an additional two hours monthly at which time you may also bring a friend. 
Location:  CHHS
Age:  Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

Education Volunteer
Description:  Education volunteers instruct children and adults on proper pet care, the importance of spaying and neutering pets and the necessity of treating animals and people with kindness and respect. Comprehensive training is provided.
Location:  CHHS
Age:  Education volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. 

Mobile Adoption Volunteer
Description:  Volunteers assist at mobile adoptions which usually occur on weekends by providing the animals with water and a clean environment. Volunteers counsel prospective adopters and educate the public about responsible pet ownership. Each volunteer is responsible for one animal that is assigned to you.
Location:  PetSmart stores, local malls, special events and other locations in the Harvey County area
Age:  Mobile adoption volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. 

Pet Pal and Puppy Power Play Groups
Description:  Pet Pals exercise adult dogs one on one and in groups, socialize and train adult dogs. A volunteer orientation followed by training in the adoption centers is required. Finally, an experienced Pet Pal provides hands-on training. Puppy Power Play groups are responsible for taking pre-determined groups of puppies to the exercise yard for group interaction.
Location:  CHHS
Age:  Pet Pals must be at least 18 years of age. 

Special Events Volunteer
Description:  Assist with fun events to raise money for the homeless animals in our care. Special events are often held during the evening and/or on the weekend.
Location:  CHHS and various locations
Age:  Special event volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Unless accompanied by an adult sponsor 

Veterinary Medical Assistant
Description:  Assist with the care and monitoring of pets during their recovery. This position has a limited number of volunteer opportunities; your name might be placed on a waiting list.
Location:  CHHS
Age:  Veterinary Medical Assistant must be at least 18 years of age. 

Visiting Pets Program Volunteer
Description:  You and your pet provide companionship, affection and therapy through regular visits to retirement, rehabilitation or residential treatment centers.  Visiting Pets volunteers commit to two visits per month for one year. Comprehensive training and testing is required for you and your pet so this opportunity will be provided when four or more interested parties have signed up for classes. There will be a fee charged for this class. You may also have use of one of the approved pets from Caring Hands, which will not require any fees to be paid.
Location:  Local health or retirement facility that has been accepted as part of the Visiting Pets Program
Age:  Visiting Pets volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. 

Photo Team Member
Description:  Have a digital camera? Help us put our animals on the web. Take pictures of adoptable animals to be posted on Petfinder  as well as the local Wal-Mart store.
Location:  CHHS, your home and WalMart
Age:  Photo Team Member must be at least 16 years of age. 

Dog Bather/Nail Trimmer
Description:  When you look pretty, you act pretty. That goes for our furry friends too. Clean dogs are more attractive to prospective adopters and the attention they get from their groomers is much needed.  We have dog bathing opportunities available during normal business hours.
Location:  CHHS
Age:   Dog Bather’s must be at least 16 years of age. 

Pet Taxi
Description: Long distance transport of pets to locations outside of Harvey County, possibly to other towns within Kansas or beyond. Many times you will be asked to take one leg of a multi-leg trip -where a pet may be traveling across many states to their new home or rescue.
Location:  Various
Age: Pet Taxi Member must be at least 18 years of age. 

Go Getter
Description:  Hit the road for the Humane Society! Or burn up the phone lines! Solicit donations of goods and/or money from local organizations and businesses. Most often, this is done in conjunction with a fundraising event that is being organized- to solicit for gifts to award/auction off. Additionally, you may be soliciting local businesses to participate in a fundraising event. Pick up and transport food, dog houses and supplies from various locations in Newton or Wichita back to Caring Hands.
Location:  Various
Age: Go-Getter Member must be at least 18 years of age.