Lend a Helping Heart & Hand... Volunteer!
Please find available volunteer descriptions below, and if interested in volunteering in any specific area, please complete a volunteer application and return it to our office via email (volunteer@cchumane.org), fax or mail. If you are interested only in being a foster home provider, please complete a Foster Home Application. Thank you for your support!
Administrative Assistant
Our Executive Director is one busy lady! A volunteer administrative assistant would help Leeann in miscellaneous projects, ranging from mailings to fundraising to event assistance. Qualifications include:
- Excellent verbal communication and computer & internet skills
- Ability to take direction and work independently as needed
- Ability to multi-task, meet deadlines, and have a strong attention to detail
- Friendly, reliable, responsible and a good sense of humor!
Adoption Counselor
Adoption Counselors are vital bridges in helping to place adoptable animals into suitable homes. Currently we're looking for Adoption Counselors for Kitty Corner (working 1-2 Saturdays or Sundays per month) as well as for foster animals (days/times are flexible) to help to appropriately match our cats and dogs with potential adopters. Qualifications include:- Good verbal communication, knowledge of cat and dog behavior and care
- Strong interpersonal skills. Experience in re-homing / adopting out animals is beneficial
- With Kitty Corner, the ability to work a regular weekly shift to get to know the cats
- Must have independent work skills & strong initiative
- Strong attention to detail and follow-through
- Comfort in handling animals
- Reliability is a must!
Animal Photographer
Do you have a love for photographing animals? If so, we might have just the position for you. We're looking for a dog- and cat-loving volunteer to paparazzi-up our fosterling dogs & cats! Photos will be used for advertisement of the fosterling on our websites, flyers, etc. to help find them forever homes. More often than not, it's the photo that draws adopters in! Qualifications include:
- Must be over 18 years of age
- Experience (professional or personal) photographing animals
- Must be comfortable working with dogs and cats in close environment
- Reliable, responsible and professional
- Reliable transportation to foster homes located in Contra Costa County
- Digital camera provided if needed, but preferrable for volunteer to have own camera (to avoid having to pick up & drop off camera before & after)
- Time commitment is typically no more than 5 hours per month with days/times flexible
Animal Transporter
On-call animal transporters are needed for numerous different programs including adoption (taking animals to veterinary appointments, other rescue groups, adoption events, etc.), events (transporting supplies and/or animals), SNAP (assisting East and West county clients without transportation to take their animal to a CCHS-approved veterinary hospital fo drop-off or pick-up for a spay/neuter surgery). Qualifications include:
- Must have a valid California Driver's License
- Must have car insurance
- Must have reliable transportation
- Must be reliable, responsible, professional, prompt and curtious
AniMeals Pet Food Bank
Volunteers are needed to help launch our pet food bank that helps financially challenged families and individuals keep their pets in the home and out of the shelters. We need volunteers who can: coordinate with retailers; attend distribution sites (hand out pet food); transport pet food (vehicle required); promote AniMeals program and food drive; program development; route representatives who can pick up food from donation bins in pet supply / grocery stores once per week or twice per month. Qualifications include:
- Volunteers 18 years and under must be accompanied and supervised by an adult
- Flexible weekday and weekend hours (minimum 4 hours per month)
- Must be a team player. This program depends 100% on volunteer contribution
Board of Directors
Our volunteer Board of Directors is vital to the success of CCHS in terms of growth and enhancement. Board members contribute to policy decisions, fundraising, internal committees, support recruitment and event success. Qualifications include:
- Ability to work with a diverse and dedicated team of volunteers
- Expertise in the following areas is very helpful: fundraising, finance/accounting, humane resources, legal, marketing and publicity, non-profit experience, veterinary care
- Attend a once-monthly Board meeting
- Attend and assist at special functions and fundraising events
- An annual financial contribution is required
- Time committment: 5-10 hours per month minimum
Dog Handler
Dog handlers play a critical role in our dog adoption events, helping to ensure that a dog can be present at an event with the hopes of finding a forever home. Dog handlers are responsible for being on-site at dog adoption events and being responsible for a particular foster dog should the foster guardian not be present. Dog handlers may also be asked to transport the dogs should the foster guardian not be able to attend. Qualifications include:
- 18 or older
- Reliable, dependable and responsible
- Reliable vehicle, as well as current registration and insurance
- Experience, comfort and ability to handle dogs of varying sizes
- Friendly, outgoing, social, engaging
- Ability to work weekends and outside
- Time commitment: 5 hours per month
Event Volunteer
Volunteers will work at an information table or special eventd, generally on the weekend, providing information about CCHS's programs and services, as well as soliciting and accepting donations. This position may also include handling adoptable animals. This position helps educate the public on CCHS's mission, programs and responsible animal care. Qualifications include:
- Good verbal communication, experience working with the public
- Must have the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time in varying weather
Foster Home Provider
You can help provide a homeless animal the time it needs to find a forever home! As a foster, you'll provide a loving environment, transport the animal to the veterinarian when necessary, and generally just love it to pieces. CCHS pays for all food, medical and supply expenses associated with fostering. CCHS is currently looking for dog foster homes. Qualifications include:
- Have basic cat / dog care experience
- Must be over 18 years of age
- Have an extra room to keep fosterlings separate from your pets, if needed
- Provide proof that your established pets are current on vaccinations
- Understand and support the CCHS mission, principles and policies
- Find out more about fostering!
Fundraising, Publicity and Marketing
Volunteers in this category are vital to the success of CCHS, as we are an all-donation-based organization. Volunteers will seek financial support from the local business community, as well as donations of goods and services for specific fundraising events and programs. They also assist in seeking out opportunities to publicize CCHS programs and services, as well as our need for donations to fund those services. Qualifications include:
- Reliable, responsible, professional demeanor
- Good verbal and written communication, as well as the ability to meet deadlines
- Familiarity with internet research
Kitty Corner Clean & Care Crew
Kitty Corner volunteers are responsible for the day-to-day well-being of our favorite feline guests at Kitty Corner. Volunteers handle the daily cleaning, feeding and socialization of our lovable cats. Shifts are available throughout the day, seven days a week and can accommodate many schedules. Current shift openings are Saturday mornings (typically 8-10am). Qualifications include:- Reliable, responsible, able to make a minimum 6 month committment
- Comfort in working with and handling cats; knowledge in cat behavior
- Ease in dealing with cleaning up after cats
- Ability to lift 30lbs
- Good communication, friendly disposition and ability to work well with other volunteers
Office Assistant
Volunteers work in weekly shifts of 2-4 hours who are able to assist in answering and routing of calls, offer assistance to callers, and return general messages. Volunteer may also assist in clerical projects as needed, such as mailings, keeping track of inventory, providing clerical assistance to other CCHS programs and help maintain a neat and tidy office appearance. Qualifications include:
- Polite and friendly disposition
- Strong sense of phone etiquette
- Knowledge and responsibilities of animal care
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to commit to a minimum of 1 time per week (minimum 2 hours) schedule
- Internet and research skills helpful
Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)
Our SNAP program provides financial assistance to low-income county residents to help spay or neuter their animals at one of our partering veterinary hospitals. Volunteers will help to answer and return phone calls, qualify applicants based on income, provide information and referral services, as well as handle calls on feral cat care. Qualifications include:
- Polite and friendly disposition
- Strong sense of phone etiquette
- Knowledge of spay/neuter procedures and benefits
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to commit to one day per week shift for approximately 2 hours
- Computer, internet and research skills helpful
Veterinarian Advisory Committee
CCHS values the expert advice of veterinarians in helping us care for our animals properly. The Veterinarian Advisory Committee was created so that CCHS had local vets who were able to answer animal related questions if need be – and advise if special circumstances arose. Qualifications include:
- Current or prior veterinary experience
- Knowledge and responsibilities of animal care
- Minimum of one (1) year commitment
- Time commitment is according to your availability and the needs of CCHS. Proposed to be minimal
If you are interested in volunteering in any specific area, please complete a volunteer application and return it to our office via email (volunteer@cchumane.org), fax or mail. If you are interested only in being a foster home provider, please complete a Foster Home Application.
