Volunteers are essential to the Valley Oak SPCA team as we work together to assist homeless animals and serve as a resource for our community. There are many ways you can help with programs that will fit into your schedule and utilize your skills and talents. Whether you're interested in becoming a shelter guide or office assistant, each and every job makes a difference in the lives of dogs and cats. We couldn't do it without volunteers and are grateful for your assistance. Are you interested in becoming a VOSPCA volunteer? Here is how to proceed.
How to Become a Volunteer
- Potential volunteers need to download a volunteer orientation, fill it out and return it to either the Shelter or the Mall Adoption Center.
- Once the application is received, the potential volunteer will be invited to attend a new volunteer orientation.
- Junior volunteers, between the ages of 12-15, are required to work along side a parent, guardian or another adult over 18 years old and must attend the orientation together.
-
At orientation you will learn about the organization as well as the volunteer duties that are currently available. Most duties require a commitment of 2-4 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.
- A personal interview will be set up after you have attended the orientation.
- All new volunteers will need to attend an Animal Handling Workshop before any volunteer work can begin. Training workshops and hands on instruction with your Team Leader will then be scheduled for your area of interest.
If you are interested in attending the next orientation or have any questions, please contact our Volunteer Supervisor at 713-4688 or by email at kstevens@vospca.org
You may download a Volunteer application here in Adobe Acrobat format. In order to view and print a file in Acrobat format, you will need to download the free Acrobat Reader program if you do not already have it installed.
Valley Oak SPCA Volunteer Opportunities
FOSTER PROGRAM
Foster Homes - Foster care parents provide a temporary home for dogs and cats with special needs. Puppies and kittens are particularly vulnerable at the shelter. Adult dogs and cats may need treatment, TLC or a reprieve from the stressful environment. Average stay is 2-4 weeks. A home check is done on all new foster parents.
If you're interested in becoming a foster care volunteer, please download the foster parent application.
RE-HOMING PROGRAM
Re-Homing Counselors - Assist the public in viewing and selecting a pet. They serve as friendly and informative guides through the shelter and Mobile Pet Adoptions and help promote adoptions by proper match making, screening and education. A four-hour shift once or twice per month is a typical assignment.
Grooming - Bathing animals is an important step toward their potential adoption. A two-hour shift once or twice per month is a typical assignment.
Critter Companion - Provide companionship, exercise, & training to adoptable dogs and cats. This interaction gives the animals a better chance for adoption while making their stay at the shelter a happier and less lonely one. An average session is 1-2 hours once a week.
Mobile Pet Adoptions - (Adoption Set-Up & Break Down) - Mobile pet adoptions require tables, cages, and materials to be set up before animals arrive and break everything down after the animals leave. (MPA Crew) The animals also need to get out during the day for potty and water breaks as well as exercise and to be shown off to potential adopters. Mobile Pet Adoptions are mainly done on Saturdays and Sundays.
Companion Request Matchmaker - The companion request book contains requests from people who are looking for a particular type or breed of dog or cat. It is critical to catch interested adopters as soon as we may have a possible match for them. A typical assignment is 1-2 hours per week.
Petfinder - Taking photos of animals in the shelter to get up on the web site. If you have a digital camera, the majority of the work can be done at home except for getting the photos. A typical assignment is one day per week.
HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Presentations - Assist with classroom programs (all grade levels) to teach children kindness and responsibility. We also need assistance with our week long Youth Summer Workshop normally held in July. Activities include arts & crafts, games, presentations and special encounters that will increase their compassion. A typical assignment is one weekday a month.
Pet of the Week - Assist in selecting and photographing dogs and cats for “Pet of the Week” on Tuesdays and the Web Gallery on Thursdays for the Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register. The assignment is an hour to an hour and a half every other week. A chauffeur is also needed to transport one dog to Channel 30 in Fresno. Volunteer will be on camera 15-20 seconds to discuss the featured dog with the news anchors. The hours are 10:00am-12:30pm on Tuesdays every other week.
Companion Animal Therapy - Volunteers take their own well-socialized and good-natured pets to convalescent hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers for patients to interact with and enjoy. Approximately four hours per month. The animal and handler going must pass the Canine Good Citizen testing.
In-Take Counseling - Help assist the public who have to surrender their animal to the shelter. You will be observing the animal while receiving as much information about them as possible. This will help in the re-homing process. Help is needed Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday. A typical assignment is 4 hours per month.
Lost & Found - Help match lost pets with their owners working with Lost & Found reports at the shelter. Lost & Found volunteers provide helpful information to those who have lost or found a pet. Typical assignment requires about one hour of telephone work at least twice per week.
ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM
Rescue - Volunteers needed to assist in many facets of dog/cat rescue, from taking photos of shelter dogs, contacting rescues via e-mail, assessment of animals for rescue, processing of paperwork, transporting animals using either shelter or personal vehicle (gas money provided) and fostering dogs for short periods while awaiting a rescue transport. Training is provided for all assignments. We rescue an average of 50 animals per month.
GUARDIAN ANGEL PROGRAM
Adoption Follow-Up Calls - Call adopters to see how their new family member is doing. Provide education, information and/or referral when needed. Can be done from home and hours are flexible.
Compliance Phone Calls - Providing appointments for adopted animals that still must be spayed or neutered. Calls can be done from home and hours are flexible.
Cat Aid & Cat Cage Sanitation - Petsmart serves as an off-site adoption location for a limited number of shelter cats and kittens. To maintain a healthy and sanitary environment for them, a volunteer is needed once per week for 45 minutes to change litter pans, disinfect, etc. A typical assignment is one morning per week.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
At home mailers - Help assemble newsletter and fundraising mailings. This can be done from home. There are typically 7 mailings per year.
Publication Distribution - Take newsletters and posters around to business to leave for their customers or to display posters for up-coming events.
Office Assistant - Assist office staff with a variety of clerical duties, mailings, making adoption packets, etc. Once per week for three hours is a typical assignment.
CANINE ASSESSMENT TEAM
Canine Assessment - Help identify adoptable dogs by conducting a SAFER test on dogs that come through the facility. This is a very intense program. Only people who are confident in handling dogs and good observation skills need apply.
ALL VOLUNTEERS HELP WITH SPECIAL EVENTS
Special Events - Assist with special events and fund raisers such as: Dog Walkathon, Pet Photos with Santa Paws, information booths, etc.
