Purpose:
As a cat volunteer, you’ll play a vital role in providing kittens and cats with socialization and enrichment, ensuring a clean and sanitary housing environment, reporting any behavior or medical concerns, and assisting with adoption match-making.  

Standard shift times: 

• 7:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
• 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
• 12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Duties:
Work alongside staff caring for the physical and emotional well-being of shelter cats and kittens: provide daily enrichment and socialization; assist potential adopters with introductions; and support daily operations such as feeding, washing dishes and litter pans, laundry duties, and restocking supplies.

Qualifications:
A sincere interest in feline health and behavior and ability to read cat body language and practice safe animal handling; attention to detail and ability to follow written instructions; willingness to provide customer service, greet visitors, and have informative conversations; willingness to perform cleaning duties related to cat housing and care.

Training requirements:

• Interview & Orientation 
• Complete Cat Care Training Checklist and demonstrate ability to perform duties

Purpose:
As a dog volunteer, you’ll play a vital role providing dogs with exercise, basic manners training, socialization, and enrichment. You’ll help ensure a clean and sanitary housing environment, report any behavior or medical concerns, and assist with adoption match-making.

Standard shift times: 

• 7:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
• 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
• 12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
• 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Duties:
Work alongside staff caring for the physical and emotional well-being of shelter dogs; provide daily enrichment and socialization; assist potential adopters with introductions; and support daily operations such as feeding, spot cleaning, washing dishes, laundry duties, and restocking supplies.

Qualifications:
Ability to read dog body language, practice safe animal handling and situational awareness; commitment to positive reinforcement training; willingness to report changes in animal behavior or health;  ability to follow written instructions and willingness to perform cleaning duties related to dog housing and care. 

Training requirements:

• Orientation and Interview
• Complete Dog Volunteer Training Checklist and demonstrate ability to perform duties.
• Review Dog Walking Level SOP
• Complete Dog Walking Training Level Green training and certification

Purpose:
Our fast paced clinic provides spay/neuter and general veterinary care to thousands of animals each year. Clinic Volunteers provide front desk assistance, perform general administrative duties, and assist the clinic staff with administering treatments. This is a great position to gain experience in a veterinary clinic environment. 

Standard shift times: 

• 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
• 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Duties:
Provide surgery and vaccine clinic assistance to staff: preparing surgical gowns and drapes; cleaning and sterilizing surgical area, instruments and equipment; cleaning animal kennels/cages; helping discharge animals back to their guardians; cleaning and folding laundry; providing people with post-surgical care information. More advanced volunteers may be trained for recovering animals after anesthesia and preparing vaccines.

Qualifications:
Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Must feel comfortable in a hospital setting. The surgery process should be something that greatly interests you and does not make you squeamish. Ideal candidates should have good physical agility and strength and must be able to follow exact instructions. Must be committed to showing up for shifts as we rely heavily on our volunteer help in the clinic!

Training requirements: 

• Orientation and Interview 
• Complete Clinic Training Checklist and demonstrate ability to perform duties

Purpose:
Santa Barbara Humane is the community’s pet resource, and we need experienced and committed volunteers to represent the organization at a variety of events. We’re looking for an independent people-person who loves animals and is comfortable speaking in public to groups of all sizes and ages with an ambassador dog by their side (which could be their personal dog if approved!). Guided by the Philanthropy & Outreach team, the outreach volunteer will become a resource to the community and an invaluable steward of Santa Barbara Humane’s services. Because assignments will include classroom presentations, visits to assisted living facilities, and tabling at community events, a flexible schedule is necessary.

Standard shift times:
Event times and locations vary and usually take place on evenings and weekends throughout the year.

Duties:

• Pick up “event box” and pre-specified supplies as needed from SB Campus Beck House, load vehicle, and drive to outreach event location
• Volunteer may either (1) bring their own service dog or (2) pick up a pre-determined adoptable ambassador dog from either shelter campus
• Volunteers use their own transportation to events unless they are assisting with animal or equipment transport and approved to drive a Santa Barbara Humane vehicle
• Set up materials such as pop-up tent, table and tablecloth, Lonely Hearts Club profiles, informational fliers, and giveaway items; and/or curated PowerPoint presentation
• Safely handle and attend to the needs of the ambassador dog in a public setting
• Present in a group setting about Santa Barbara Humane and facilitate safe introductions of the ambassador dog to the attendees
• Provide resources as a representative of Santa Barbara Humane and answer questions from participants when appropriate
• Contact information will be provided for more in-depth questions *Note: volunteers should not speak to media/press*
• Break down and pack up the materials, drive back to the SB Campus Beck House, unload
• If applicable, return Santa Barbara Humane vehicle
• If applicable, return adoptable ambassador dog to assigned kennel

Qualifications: 

• Comfortable with public speaking to a variety of audiences
• Able to relay accurate information about Santa Barbara Humane’s mission and services after a training by P&O staff
• Professionalism and presentability
• Valid Driver’s license
• Intermediate dog-handling skills
• Able to work evening and weekend shifts as needed
• Strong communication

Training requirements: 

• Orientation and Interview 
• Animal handling
• Hands-on Outreach Volunteer Training

Purpose:

Photograph shelter animals available for adoption and post on Shelter Luv.  Availability to shoot special events and offsite events as needed.  

Shifts:

Photographers can select the shifts that work best for them, but must be able to commit to shifts each week. Available Monday – Sunday.

Duties Include:

• Photograph cats and/or dogs available for adoption
• Download photos into personal computer or SB Humane computer, resize, and save
• Upload photos and animal descriptions on Shelter Luv
• Track Adopted Animals and ensure that Shelter Luv is current at all times

Age Requirements:

• Photographers must be over 16 years of age.  

Skills and Qualities Needed:

• Strong command of photo software 
• Ability to write effectively and to follow standard profile descriptions
• Willingness to commit to a set schedule and work with other team members to ensure all profiles are kept up-to-date

Tools Required:

• Personal digital camera and photo software
• Internet Access from a personal computer

To Apply: 

Please email [email protected] with information on your photography background, some examples of your work, why you are interested in this volunteer position, and the days/hours that would work for you on a weekly basis.

Purpose: 

It’s proven that animals with personal descriptions are adopted faster than those with generic personality types!  We need writers who can spend time getting to know the animals in order to write profiles that uniquely capture each individual personality, for posting in the shelter and on-line.

Shifts:

Writers can select the shifts that work best for them but must be able to commit to shifts each week. Available Monday – Sunday.

Duties Include:

• Weekly shelter visits with animals that do not yet have a personal description 
• Writing a unique description in the animal profile on Shelter Luv 
• Track Adopted Animals and ensure that Shelter Luv is current at all times

Skills and Qualities Needed:

• Effective creative writing skills and adherence to standard profile descriptions outlines 
• Ability to spend time with the animals to get to know them to help you write-up creative and accurate descriptions of each animal 
• Willingness to commit to a set schedule each week and work with other team members to ensure all profiles are kept up-to-date 
• Training as a Cat Volunteer or Dog Volunteer, and/or willingness to complete the training

Tools Required:

• Internet Access from a personal computer

To Apply: Please email [email protected] with information on your writing background, some examples of your work, why you are interested in this volunteer position, and the days/hours that would work for you on a weekly basis.