Interested in Volunteering?

Volunteers play a vital role at The Animal Shelter and we're always looking for new friends. You can help make a difference in an animal’s life and have fun doing it! Please see below for more information about our volunteer opportunities. If you are under the age of 16, you must have a parent or guardian accompanying you at all times.  Click here to download a volunteer packet.

Help is needed in the following areas:

General Animal Care- Dog Walking & Socializing Cats

One of our greatest, ongoing needs involves paying attention to our current animals! We need volunteers daily to walk our dogs and pet the cats. We have fenced in property for dog walking and a cat “playroom” complete with a cat climbing tree. Volunteers must be comfortable handling animals, both large and small – we are looking for people to put some time and love into increasing our animals’ adoptability through socialization and basic training.

Adoption Aide (PetSmart or Shelter)

Help us make the perfect match! Greeting potential adopters at the Animal Shelter and PetSmart and helping them meet the furry companion of their dreams increases adoption success rates. We need dedicated “people persons” to aid our adoption staff in serving the public. You’ll answer general questions about The Animal Shelter, as well as handling general questions about particular animals.

Kennel Aide (PetSmart or Shelter)

Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning! Volunteers kick in some elbow grease to keep the shelter clean and the animals healthy. It’s a never-ending chore, but the payoff is pretty big. Grubby clothes and a hard work ethic are a must.

Photo Team Member

Have a digital camera? Help us help put our animals on the web. Take pictures of adoptable animals to be posted on Petfinder and other websites.

Dog Bather

When you look pretty, you act pretty. That goes for our furry friends too. Clean dogs are more attractive to prospective owners and the attention they get from their groomers is much needed.

Fundraising Events

The Animal Shelter holds events throughout the year, and from monthly off-site adoptions at PetSmart to Holiday Pet Portraits and Pets in the Park - we always need volunteers who are ready to travel about town. We are looking for enthusiastic, out-going volunteers to personify our mission in the public eye.

Foster Care

This special corps of volunteers dedicates 24/7 to the care of bottle feeders and injured animals to prepare them for adoption. Sound like fun? Imagine getting up every two hours, even through the night!! This takes a special sort of volunteer, and is a big commitment.

Clerical Work

Ok- so it's not glamorous, but we could really use help with answering the telephone, stuffing envelopes – keeping us organized! Clerical projects vary, and some can even be done from your own home. No orientation is necessary, but flexibility is important, as projects vary from week to week.

Volunteer at the Thrift Store

Do you have good organizing skills and like to interact with the public?  At Secondhand Tails we can always use a few extra hands to help sort, clean, price and display items in the thrift store.  All our sales support the Animal Shelter.  Call the thrift store at (256) 847-1125 for more information.

How to Get Started

If you are an individual or an organization that would like to send a group to volunteer at the shelter, please contact us at ashelter@bellsouth.net or call (256) 236-1581.  If you're interested in volunteering at the thrift store call Kathleen or Penny at (256) 847-1125.