Volunteer Roles & FAQs

At Humane Society Silicon Valley, volunteers are critical to fulfilling our mission of saving and enhancing lives. We recruit volunteers on a quarterly basis and reach out to those individuals who sign up for our interest list when we open a recruitment. We use the categories you select on the interest form so that we can find the right individuals to fill each role. Please sign up for our interest list so that we know when to reach out to you, when we have a need that fits your interests.

What are the basic requirements to volunteer?

Volunteers in regular on-site roles must be over the age of 18. If you are under 18 and interested in volunteering, please visit our student volunteer opportunities page.
Most of our volunteer roles ask for a weekly or bi-weekly commitment for a six-month period. Animal handling roles ask for a one-year commitment.

Volunteers support every department at HSSV – Read on to learn more about some of the different areas where volunteers can make a difference at HSSV!

ANIMAL CARE ROLES

Make a difference in the lives of animals by providing hands-on care in a variety of roles. Volunteers in animal care roles help with a wide range of duties – from socializing the dogs, cats, and rabbits, welcoming them into their homes as a foster, or helping them find their new families. By working directly with our animals, you enrich their lives and help to prepare them for their forever homes.

SHELTER SUPPORT ROLES

Shelter support roles vary throughout HSSV. These volunteers help us with tasks like laundry, dishes and preparing kennels for new guests. Shelter-support roles include sorting donations and preparing pet food for delivery, and delivering food to home-bound clients for our Pet Pantry Program. Some roles also include being on call to transport animals.

MEDICAL CLINIC SUPPORT ROLES

Our Medical Surgery Department provides care for animals and volunteers play a vital role in helping us reach our goals. In these roles volunteers join our veterinary staff in caring for our surgery patients and supporting our mobile clinics. If you have interest or experience in the medical or veterinary field these roles may be the right fit for you.

OFFICE SUPPORT ROLES

Use your skills and expertise to advance our mission! Support volunteers help with fundraising, finance, marketing, technology, and more. By using your skills behind the scenes, you’re increasing our capacity to save more lives.

STUDENT ROLES

Are you between the ages of 13-17 years old? HSSV has a few limited roles available for student volunteers in the Animal Care and Enrichment Department. Select this option on our interest form to let us know you are interested in receiving information about student volunteering when we open a recruitment. See our Student Volunteering FAQ page to learn more about these opportunities.

PARENT-TEEN VOLUNTEERING

Are you a parent interested in volunteering with your teenager? HSSV sometimes has limited opportunities. Please let us know if this is something you are interested in by selecting on our Interest Form.

Carla Berti

Not only does Carla spend her free time fostering cats and kittens, she’s also a volunteer in our ringworm department. Carla spends most of her time treating cats and kittens with ringworm, socializing them, and training new volunteers. She even makes each cat feel special by crocheting them a bed to go home with when it’s time for adoption!

Volunteering FAQs

When can I start volunteering?

I want to volunteer with the cats and dogs. How can I do that?

I want to volunteer, but I have no experience. Do you provide training?

What are the basic requirements to volunteer?

How do I find out what roles are available in a recruitment cycle?

The available roles in each recruitment cycle will be posted HERE and will including role descriptions, time commitments, volunteer shift schedule, and application details.
Some roles, like dog and cat socializers and matchmakers, have limited openings and application spots fill up very quickly, so it’s a good idea to sign up using our interest form with your preferences so you’re notified when we open a recruitment cycle.

What if I can’t make a six- or twelve-month commitment? Is there any other way I can get involved?

How else can I support HSSV?

We can always use help for our incoming animals by donating items from our wishlist or supporting our Pet Pantry. We also accept these in-kind donations. You can also stay up to date on latest news, stories, and events at HSSV by signing up for our monthly email newsletter.

One project that we are in true need for are Puppy and Kitten Rice-Warmies. Follow this link for instructions: Rice-Warmies. These warmies help the separated neonatal puppies or kittens regulate their body heat which is usually what the mom dog or cat does. If kittens or puppies come to our shelter without their mother, for whatever reason, we use rice-warmies to keep them warm. For our littlest visitors at the shelter, these are life saving items. Each litter needs it’s own set, so we use a lot. Three Rice-Warmies are good for 1 service hour, if you are keeping track.

We also always need fleece blankets. They are a simple no-sew option that help us keep our furry friends warm. Here are the instructions for both our Standard Fleece Blankets and our Oversized Fleece Blankets. You can purchase fleece at any craft store (Michael’s, Joann’s, etc.); feel free to choose whatever fun prints/patterns you like! Be sure to check the clearance fleece for great deals. 5 blankets are good for 2 service hours.

I still have some questions, can you help?