There are many opportunities to help the shelter animals, at the shelter, from an adoption center or from home! For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Celeste Ingrid at (916) 875-5848 or download our volunteer flyer. Some of the most popular activities are...

Cat Socialization - Petting, playing and socializing with our cats can help put them at ease in the shelter. Volunteers can also help clean and feed the cats. Three consecutive two-hour training sessions addressing safety, policies and procedures and handling/behavior lessons as required.

Clerical Assistance - Clerical volunteers assist with essential projects including adoption follow-up calling, data entry, mailings and general office work. Training is based upon the assigned project.

Cooking and Sewing - Have you ever made homemade dog biscuits? We have two great recipes for you. Dogs just love our homemade Veggie Biscuits recipe and our Peanut Butter biscuits recipe. Bring a batch or two in today. If sewing is more your thing, check out how you can create a custom bed for our shelter cats to snuggle up in for a catnap.

Counseling Adoptions - Making appropriate matches between adopters and animals is critical to ensuring good life-long matches. Adoption volunteers must have actively volunteered for a period of six months, attend a Adoption Counseling Workshop and be approved by staff.

Dog Walking & Socialization - Spend time with our dogs on leisurely walks, playing ball, or just relaxing under a tree. Dogs are social animals and require lots of interaction. Volunteers must possess basic dog-handling skills and three consecutive two-hour training sessions addressing safety, policy/procedure and handling/behavior are required.

Foster/sponsor care programs - Foster/sponsor care providers give our animals a chance for a new life by taking care of the animals until they are ready to be adopted. Read the Foster Care Provider flyer to learn more. Basic animal handling skills are required and training consists of an initial two-hour Foster Parent workshop and additional advanced level classes.

Fundraising - We need enthusiastic and professional people to help T.E.A.M (Teaching Everyone Animals Matter), the 501 (c)(3) non-profit shelter's primary fundraising entity in raising funds to support programs of the shelter.

Help Stuff Kongs - Kongs are wonderful for giving dogs "something to do" by stimulating their minds. Help us stuff Kongs with peanut butter and other goodies as a special treat that helps our dogs pass the time while at the shelter. You can also help by donating peanut butter and canned dog food for stuffing. Items may be dropped off at the shelter anytime.  

Humane Education - Help educate children in our community about important animal issues through in-school presentations. Volunteers must be free of an criminal record and undergo a background check, and have basic animal skills. 

Lost & Found Coordination - Help reunite lost pets with their families by matching Lost & Found animal reports with the animals in the shelter and lost animal ads posted in various community sites. Training consists of 1 to 3 one-on-one training sessions with a shelter staff person or L & F volunteer.

Mobile/Offsite adoption events - All skill are needed to help make our events a success. Learn more about our off-site adoption event programs, LAPCATS and Friends of Unwanted Rabbits (F.U.R)

Shelter Greeter - Our greeters help visitors and assist them with finding animals, answering questions and providing information. Training consists of three two-hour group or individual sessions.