Volunteer

Volunteer Program

San Antonio Humane Society Volunteer Mission Statement

To aid the SAHS in their mission to improve the lives of dogs and cats by donating time and talents to care for the pets, support staff in their daily activities, and assist in Connecting Friends for Life.

Be sure to watch the video before you fill out the applicaiton, be sure to pay attention. You can also watch the video here.

General Volunteer Program
The SAHS General Volunteer Program offers individuals a variety of volunteer opportunities ranging from playing with puppies and kittens to helping our staff with clerical duties and everything in between. We require our volunteers to commit to volunteering a minimum of once a month, however we do not require a specific number of hours. The SAHS can accept volunteers as young as 12 as long as they are accompanied by an adult volunteer. Please see below for more information.

Junior Volunteer (12-15 years of age)

- 12-15 years of age
- $20 fee
- Must be accompanied by their adult volunteer at all times
- No more than two Junior Volunteers per adult volunteer
- Fill out the application (The application will be available again on 8/28)

Youth Volunteer (16-17 years of age)

- 16-17 years of age
- $25 fee
- Can volunteer independently but must have a waiver signed by parent/guardian on file
- Fill out the application (The application will be available again on 8/28)

Adult Volunteer (18 years of age or over)

- 18 years of age or over
- $30 fee
- $15 background check required (N/A for active duty military)
- Fill out the application (The application will be available again on 8/28)

*The SAHS supports and thanks our military men and women. Active duty military and their immediate family members are eligible for a discounted volunteer fee of $20 per person.*

Palo Alto Veterinary Technology Program
The SAHS offers students wishing to enroll in the Palo Alto Veterinary Technology program a chance to earn clinical experience hours through our volunteer program. Students will have a chance to earn hours working onsite in the SAHS clinic and surgery suite and offsite at the Brooks Spay/Neuter Clinic. You must become a SAHS volunteer to participate in this program.

Court Ordered Community Service
Court Mandated Community Service hours are available at the SAHS. They are approved on a case by case basis by the Volunteer Coordinator.

You must meet the following guidelines to be considered for the program:

- Provide court documentation stating the offense, number of hours to be completed, and date they must be completed by.
- Submit to and pass a background check.

The SAHS will not accept those convicted of the following:

- Felonies
- Animal/Child abuse/neglect
- Weapons charges
- Sex crimes
- Violent crimes
- Theft
- Resisting arrest

Court Ordered Volunteer jobs revolve around cleaning and consist of little to no animal interaction.
Court Ordered Volunteers are required to schedule their volunteer shifts in advance. Shifts are available in the morning and evenings only. Please click here to apply (The application will be available again on 8/28).

Community Service Program
The SAHS now offers a Community Service Day once a month for individuals wishing to earn hours without becoming a SAHS Volunteer. The Community Service Program is split into an am and pm shift with a one hour lunch break between the two. Both shifts will focus on service projects such as cleaning, prepping supplies, landscaping, etc. Volunteers will earn 4 hours for each shift they attend.

Please see the following for more details:

· Individuals between the ages of 12 and 15 must be accompanied by a paying adult who will actively participate in the program.
· Individuals between 16-17 years of age must have a waiver signed by an adult before attending without supervision.
· No more than 30 people will be accepted for each shift.
· $15 fee per person per shift.
· Please email Volunteer@SAhumane.org to apply.

Volunteer for a Day
One-time volunteer opportunities are a great way to expose your group to the shelter and the volunteer program. The SAHS can provide tailored volunteer experiences which best match the group and current need at the SAHS. Groups must consist of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 participants. Participants must be at least 12 years of age to attend and anyone under the age of 16 will require parent or guardian participation. Volunteer for a Day programs run an average of two to four hours. The fee for this program is $15 per participant. Please email Volunteer@SAhumane.org to apply.