Requirements

• Must not have strong allergies to animals or to chemicals, such as those used in cleaning
• Ability to deal with strong and unpleasant odors and various temperatures
• Ability to tolerate a very loud environment and exposure to fur/dander from animals
• Ability to tolerate potential exposure to zoonotic diseases such as ringworm
• Ability to understand, remember and follow instructions and procedures
• Must be able to take direction from staff and perform assigned tasks safely and independently 
• Ability to cope with a highly emotionally charged environment and in the presence of animals who are homeless, abandoned, injured and/or abused.
• Ability to understand CNHS’ policies and positions regarding companion animals, animal control, and other key animal welfare issues and an ability and willingness to appropriately and accurately represent those policies when interacting with the public or otherwise representing CNHS
• Must be able to commit to four hours per month
• Must be 16 years of age to volunteer alone. All volunteers younger than 16 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times who is at least 19 years old. 
  • Any person accompanying a volunteer must also complete the appropriate orientation and training sessions
• Must be able to meet the physical requirements of assigned volunteer role which may include standing, bending, or walking for extended periods of time and lifting up to 50 pounds
• Must be available to volunteer during set shift times
• Must maintain confidentiality regarding information that is obtained while serving at CNHS but is not public knowledge (adopter information, stray owner information, etc)

Expectations

• Must have a passion for animals and support CNHS’s mission
• Must complete all appropriate training for assigned role
• Must demonstrate a positive, respectful, and compassionate attitude
• Must complete the required orientation and training sessions for all volunteers
  • Volunteer Orientation Sessions are offered once a week, rotating between 5:00-6:00pm Monday evenings and 9:00-10:00am Saturday mornings. Each session is limited to 10 people.
• Must complete assigned duties in a timely fashion and remain on task

Available Volunteer Roles/Tasks

• Canine Companion – Provide essential training, exercise, and socialization to the dogs awaiting adoption at CNHS
• Canine Kennel Assistant – Aid CNHS staff in providing clean and comfortable living spaces to the dogs awaiting adoption at CNHS
• Critter Care Assistant – Aid CNHS staff in providing clean and comfortable living spaces, and socialization to the critters awaiting adoption at CNHS. 
• Feline Companion – Provide essential exercise and socialization to the cats awaiting adoption at CNHS
• Feline Kennel Assistant– Aid CNHS staff in providing clean and comfortable living spaces to the cats awaiting adoption at CNHS
• Bottle Baby Assistant – Aid CNHS staff in providing care to orphaned kittens, including bottle feeding and stimulating fecal and urine output
• Enrichment Specialist – Brainstorm, prepare, distribute, and clean enrichment items for the dogs and cats at CNHS
• Office Support Staff – Aid customer service staff by answering phone calls, filing paperwork, sorting donations, and answering questions from the public
• Event Specialists – Represent CNHS at fundraising and community outreach events. This includes transporting animals to and from events, answering questions from the public, and being an ambassador for CNHS and our programs
• Veterinary Support Staff – Aid medical staff in cleaning and preparing medical supplies, recovering surgical patients, and preparing post-surgery kennels

Program Hours & Schedule

• Monday through Friday
  • 8am-10am
  • 10am-12pm
  • 12pm-2pm
  • 2pm-4pm
  • 4pm-5:30pm
• Saturday
  • 8am-10am
  • 10am-12pm
  • 12pm-2pm
  • 2pm-4:30pm
• Sunday
  • 1pm-3pm
  • 3pm-4:30pm
• This schedule applies for all volunteer roles except the following:
  • Critter Care Assistant – these shifts will vary depending on critter intakes and adoptions
  • Bottle Baby Assistant – these shifts will vary depending on kitten intakes and foster availability
  • Event Specialists – these shifts will vary according to upcoming events
  • Enrichment Specialist – 1:00pm-4:00pm every day
  • Feline & Canine Kennel Assistant – final shifts end at 5pm on weekdays
  • Veterinary Support Staff (weekdays only) – 8:00am-12:00pm & 1:00pm-5:00pm

Volunteer Termination Policies

• Volunteers may be dismissed by the Executive Director, Operations Director, or Community Outreach Coordinator at any time for failing to follow CNHS policies. This includes but is not limited to issues with attendance, attitude, or work ethic. 

Attendance Policy

• Volunteers assist with some of the most integral tasks at the shelter and therefore we cannot afford to allow those with poor attendance to continue scheduling shifts.  Volunteers agree to the following:
  • Be on time for all shifts scheduled for
  • Communicate in a timely manner if they are going to be tardy or absent
  • Be proactive about rescheduling missed shifts
• Repeated attendance issues will result in dismissal from the volunteer program and is defined as more than 5 of any of the following within a year:
  • 10 minutes or later for a scheduled shift
  • Less than 1 hour notice if unable to make it to a scheduled shift
  • "No call no show" 

In addition to the requirements and expectations for all volunteers, CS volunteers must meet the following:

Requirements

• Must have a minimum of 10 hours to complete
• Must be at least 13 years old. Volunteers between 13-15 years old are required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times who is at least 19 years old. Volunteers that are 16 years or older may volunteer alone
• Must be able to bend, squat, or stand for extended periods of time and be able to lift up to 25 pounds
• Must be willing to complete cleaning tasks
• Individuals are ineligible to complete community service hours at CNHS if they have a history of violence, abuse, or neglect towards animals or people

Attendance Policy

• Community service volunteers assist with some of the most integral tasks at the shelter and therefore we cannot afford to allow those with poor attendance to complete their hours at CNHS.  Community service volunteers agree to the following:
  • Be on time for all shifts scheduled for
  • Communicate in a timely manner if they are going to be tardy or absent
  • Be proactive about rescheduling missed shifts
  • Stay for the entirety of their scheduled shift
• Repeated attendance issues will result in dismissal from the volunteer program and is defined as more than 2 of any of the following:
  • 10 minutes or later for a scheduled shift
  • Less than 1 hour notice if unable to make it to a scheduled shift
• "No call no show" 

Tasks

• Due to the brief nature that community service volunteers are with CNHS, tasks are limited to cleaning and assisting with the basic needs of the shelter. 
• Community service volunteers rarely interact with animals while completing their service hours.

Requirements

• All groups must schedule volunteer hours in advance and arrive 15 minutes before their first scheduled service time to complete group orientation
• Appropriate volunteer roles/tasks will be determined by the Community Outreach Coordinator and Group Leader
• All group members must remain together in the designated volunteer area unless split into smaller groups by CNHS staff. Members should remain on task. 

Volunteer Termination Policies

• Volunteers may be dismissed by the Executive Director, Operations Director, or Community Outreach Coordinator at any time for failing to follow CNHS policies. This includes but is not limited to issues with attendance, attitude, or work ethic. 

Attendance Policy

• Volunteers assist with some of the most integral tasks at the shelter and therefore we cannot afford to allow those with poor attendance to continue scheduling shifts.  Volunteers agree to the following:
  • Be on time for all shifts scheduled for
  • Communicate in a timely manner if they are going to be tardy or absent
  • Be proactive about rescheduling missed shifts
• Repeated attendance issues will result in dismissal from the volunteer program and is defined as more than 5 of any of the following within a year:
  • 10 minutes or later for a scheduled shift
  • Less than 1 hour notice if unable to make it to a scheduled shift
  • "No call no show"