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If you are seeking to fulfill a community service requirement for court or school, please go to our Community Service (Court Ordered or Prior to Court) page.  

Mostly Mutts could not exist without our wonderful volunteers! We have so many ways that you get involved and make a difference. We are always looking for new volunteers to join Team Mutts! We consider ourselves an extended family who all have one thing in common, our passion for the animals! As a private, nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity and assistance of caring, dedicated, and hard-working volunteers in all of our programs. Our mission of rescuing the many unwanted, abandoned, injured and abused animals would be impossible without the continued support of our volunteers and community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your interest in helping us care for our sweet mutts and kitties!

To Become a Rescue & Adoption Center Volunteer, You must:

• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Be able to commit to a minimum of 3 months and 8 hours monthly. 
• A weekly schedule is preferred. A consistent schedule for shelter shifts is required. Our shelter shifts run 4 times daily/7 days a week, rain or shine/hot or cold.
• Shift times are:
  
  • 1st shift-8am
  • 2nd shift-12pm
  • 3rd shift-5pm
  • 4th shift-8pm every day except Friday, 7:30pm on Friday
  • Each shift lasts approximately 2 hours.
• Complete an online application. You will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive this email, check your spam folder. This email will include instructions to sign up online to attend an orientation. Orientation covers information about what volunteering at our shelter entails and what you can expect. After completing the orientation, you will schedule an appointment to meet with our Volunteer Program Manager. We believe meeting in person and making a good match is important to a successful volunteer experience. 
• Know that you are making a commitment and are counted on by your shift partners, as well as our sweet animals, to arrive on time and complete any assignments/shifts that you have signed up to work. We know life happens and vacations are needed! Please give advance notice, unless an emergency arises, and we will find someone to fill your spot until you return. Proactively reaching out to other volunteers for coverage is greatly encouraged, appreciated and helps us out so much!
• Have the ability to follow instructions and work independently or in a group
• Attend training sessions as required by Mostly Mutts
• Treat animals in our care with kindness and concern for their welfare always having their safety and best interest in mind
• Represent yourself and Mostly Mutts in a professional manner and treat potential adopters, visitors, staff, and other volunteers with respect
• Pay a $20 non-refundable onboarding fee per volunteer. This includes a Mostly Mutts T-Shirt and plastic engraved Name Tag.

If you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Frequently Asked Questions about Volunteering

What can I do as a Mostly Mutts Volunteer?

Volunteer opportunities are constantly changing as we grow and develop new programs. Below is a listing of current opportunities, some may require experience or time in service before available.

Rescue Center Shifts (Dog and Cat Care):

Dog and Cat-loving shelter volunteers needed for walking, feeding, playtime, socialization, manners training, bathing & brushing, lots of hugging and belly-rubs, and essential chores such as kennel cleaning and laundry...no experience needed, we’ll train you!

Reception:

Greeter duties in the reception area of the shelter, perfect for friendly folk who like interacting with the public.

Adoption Help:

Adoptions completed at the shelter put our mutts and kitties into new homes. We need volunteers willing to train as shelter Adoption Interviewers and Counselors...these volunteers work with applicants and complete adoption papers....and then watch happily as the dogs and cats go to their new homes.

FOSTERING

“I couldn’t give one up” Don’t let that thought stop you from fostering, we PROMISE you CAN do it!

We have experienced foster families and friendly volunteers to help you, and fostering is so IMPORTANT in rescue. Talk to us...we can help you make that leap from “thinking about it” to “doing it”!

We have adult dogs and cats, seniors (everyone has a soft spot for the old ones), litters of young puppies and kittens, pregnant and nursing mommas, bottle-feeding babies, as well as dogs and cats that may be sick, injured or recovering from treatment.....we have big, small, mellow, active...and everything in between. We’re sure to have a mutt or kitty to fit your home and family.

There is no cost involved with fostering, and we can supply just about everything you might need...except for TLC and a warm and loving home, that’s what you supply! Ask us for info on how to get started.

GRANT WRITING

Many grants are available in rescue. We need grant writers in order to take advantage of these.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

If you are a veterinarian, groomer or trainer, we’d love to utilize your expertise!

OUTREACH & EDUCATION

We encourage school visits, group visits to the shelter, involvement in the community and events to raise awareness of homeless pets and the importance of spay & neuter.

FUNDRAISING & SPONSORSHIP

Fundraising events are very important to us, and seeking out sponsors is key to our continued success. Can you help?

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS

If you are seeking to fulfill community service hours for a pending or completed court case, please go to our Community Service (Court Ordered or Prior to Court) Page.

If you are seeking community service hours for school or other organization, please follow the steps above for becoming a Mostly Mutts volunteer. You will be in charge of any documentation, including tracking your volunteer hours on your own or Mostly Mutts provided time sheet. You must sign in and out using our online system VicNet. If needed you may request that a Mostly Mutts staff member sign your time sheet each time you volunteer. If you will require other documentation of your volunteer hours including Mostly Mutts letterhead, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details.

I’m having problems with the volunteer application. How can I get help?

A common reason that an application fails to submit is if required fields are left blank. All items with a red asterisk must be completed.

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive the email, that doesn’t necessarily mean your application wasn’t received. In most cases, if you don’t find the email in your regular inbox, it will be in your spam filter or junk mail folder because your email settings are not allowing email from Mostly Mutts.

If you continue to have problems submitting your application or haven’t received an email with an invitation to our orientations within a few hours, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I completed the online application, now what?

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email with information to sign up online for our orientation classes. Please check your spam folder if you don't receive the email shortly after submitting your application.

Why must I purchase a Mostly Mutts T-shirt and Name Tag?

We are very fortunate that a lot of people are interested in volunteering at Mostly Mutts. However, the actual number of volunteers who end up volunteering long-term is very small (approximately 10% after a year). This is typical for nonprofits, but it means that our volunteers spend a great deal of time and effort on training when they are needed in other areas. The purchase of a t-shirt and name tag means that consider yourself a member of the Mostly Mutts team and have made a small investment in that commitment. It’s also nice to get to know the names of fellow volunteers and to be easily spotted when we have visitors.

What times are shelter shifts and how long do they last?

Our shelter has 4 shifts that run daily 7 days per week. Shifts begin at 8am, 12pm, 5pm & 8pm and typically last two hours.