Willamette Humane Society relies on more than 800 volunteers in a wide variety of roles to care for the animals.
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Adoption Ambassadors are on the front lines with the public, showing animals, making matches between people and pets and helping make the adoption process a smooth one. Duties include providing great customer service, answering questions about adoptable animals, checking holds, answering phones, using a computer, and other clerical duties. Volunteers must have good animal handling skills, good knowledge of WHS adoption policies and procedures and be able to professionally represent Willamette Humane Society and our policies when interacting with the public.
This is the team that provides morning room service to our cats! These volunteers help our cats get ready to meet the day and the visiting public by assisting animal care staff with cat care and routine cleanup. This job may require repetitious bending and lifting, and volunteers are exposed to various cleaning agents. This position has high animal contact, but little to no contact with the public. Members of this team may choose to work in our cat Isolation area, providing companionship and comfort to our cats with upper respiratory infections during their treatment and recovery time, as well as basic kennel upkeep. ISO area volunteers may choose from both AM and PM shifts.
Dog Handlers provide our canine friends with a chance to stimulate their minds and stretch their legs. We have a walking trail, off leash exercise pens, and much more. This socialization and exercise is vital to the dogs’ happiness and health. This position requires a tolerance for loud noise and volunteers must be able to handle dogs over 50 pounds. This is a position with a lot of animal contact. Volunteers in this position must be able to deal with adverse weather conditions, and a wide variety of dog behavior. All dog handlers are eligible to attend behavior and training classes for shelter dogs awaiting adoption. These classes are taught by our well-qualified WHS Behavior and Training team.
The Kennel Buddy program gives extra companionship and training to dogs waiting for adoption. It helps to prevent or overcome “kennel stress,” and is an excellent way to form a positive association with their space and learn new skills! For volunteers who can’t accommodate a regular dog-walking schedule, being a Kennel Buddy is the perfect way to spend quality time with dogs on the adoption floor. Buddies spend as little or as much time with the dogs of their choice.
Dog handlers who meet certain skill based criteria can ask to join the playgroup team, bringing dogs to and from playgroup and helping to supervise off-leash play sessions under the direction of staff or senior volunteers from the Training Team.
Foster families open up their homes to care for animals that need extra attention, including animals who are too young to be adopted, ones who need extra socialization, or animals that are injured or sick.
Outreach volunteers represent WHS at community events. Events include adoption outreach events, booths at fairs, and our annual events like Bowser’s Boo Bash. Volunteers must have customer service skills and be able to professionally represent Willamette Humane Society and our policies when interacting with the public. When events include adoptable animals, volunteers must be trained as dog or cat handlers before taking pets to outreach events.
Clinic hospital volunteers assist clinic employees with a variety of tasks, including washing surgical instruments, preparing surgery packs, cleaning kennels and the clinic, etc. Clinic Reception volunteers assist our staff receptionist with tasks, such as covering lunch breaks, answering phones, scheduling appointments, filing medical records, and other receptionist duties.
All of the profits from the WHS Thrift Store support the care of the animals and our volunteers are critical to the success of this store. Store volunteers assist customers and represent Willamette Humane Society to the general public. Duties include sorting and pricing donations, stocking and organizing shelves, cashiering, researching collectibles and setting up displays.
Transport Volunteers transport shelter animals to or from other shelters, veterinary appointments, or grooming appointments. Drivers must be at least 21 years of age and be insured before driving a shelter vehicle.
Assist with the general office duties which may include the following: data entry, assembling pet adoption packets, filing and other general office duties. Position may require extended periods of sitting.
Senior Project Application If you are a student and are interested in doing your Senior Project with Willamette Humane Society, please fill out and return this application.
