Volunteer at Our Animal Shelter

Save-A-Pet is looking for volunteers to help care for our cats and volunteers for the Barkin Basement. Please contact us if you are interested.

Forms:
Volunteer Application
Junior Volunteer (Community Service) & Creative Ways to Help Save-A-Pet

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at a Long Island animal shelter. It is truly an exciting place to be, a place where you can really make a difference. At Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue, people help animals and animals help people. The shelter serves the community by teaching and practicing humane behavior toward man and all living things. Our lives are more precious when trust, unconditional love, respect and care exist as the primary bond between animals and one another.

Junior volunteers are welcome! There are positions for juniors at least 16 years of age. For regular volunteer activities, your first step is to attend a volunteer orientation and tour. This is a good way to learn about our volunteer programs, and the commitment involved in each area. The next step is to interview for a specific volunteer position. If you would like to set up an interview, please notify us by email. Parents of junior volunteers are requested to join their children for orientation, so they will have knowledge of their duties and be able to co-sign their application.

Community Service

Many organizations and schools require community service hours. There is much to do at our shelter. We can always use some muscle: fixing fencing,landscaping, painting etc. Are you good at organizing? There is much to organize at an animal shelter. Give us a call or stop in, we'll be glad to assist.

Junior Volunteers

At Save-A-Pet one of our most important programs involves local children: the Jr. Volunteer Program. Any child under 16 years of age is eligible for this program. If you have a genuine love of animals and would like to help, we have many options available. Our program coordinator will help to guide you in the right direction. If you need community service hours for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Confirmation class, Honor Society then this is the program for you. We will explain what to do and how to do it.

Children 16 or older are able to participate in age appropriate activities such as the cat program, helping out at fund raisers, etc.

Scouting Programs

Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts: Looking for a project to earn your Bronze Award, Silver Award, Gold Award or Eagle Scout Award? We have a volunteer that has been involved in scouting for twelve years and will be glad to guide you in your project. We have many ideas for each level of the award program. This year we have three girls that earned their Gold Award and one troop that has earned their Silver Award. Stop in to see us for suggestions.

Dog Obedience Training Volunteers

Volunteers working with dogs must be physically able to handle large, enthusiastic dogs. Volunteers are required to attend training sessions. Training dates are usually assigned within the same month. Most volunteer positions require a few hours a month. Orientations are scheduled one Saturday and Sunday monthly and weekdays at the volunteer coordinators availability. We also encourage our volunteers to spend quality time with our canine buddies. You would be surprised how their faces light up when they see you on a regular basis. They too need to feel loved each and every day! Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.

Cat Care Volunteers

Volunteers working with the cats must go through an orientation. Each of our cats has specific needs. Scheduling is required due to the fact that each cage is cleaned daily generally starting at 8:30 AM. Some of the duties are cleaning crates, cleaning litter pans, feeding and dispensing medications. Each and every one of our feline friends could use a daily dose of loving. Wouldn't you like to be the one to give it to them? Knowledge of cats is helpful.

Supply Drives

To all our junior volunteers, girl scouts, school organizations. We are always in need of supply drives. The kids in our community have continued keeping us in stock.

Pet Therapy

Can you imagine what your life would be like without your devoted pet by your side? Well, many of the residents at Jefferson Ferry Assisted Living have found themselves in that exact position. While they enjoy living with other seniors in this modern facility, with warm caretakers providing for their medical needs, they often miss the comfort of having their cat or dog by their side.

The volunteers at Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue have been visiting Jefferson Ferry for 3 years now. They visit every other Sunday for a few hours, bringing laughter and good memories along with their own pets.

We have dogs of every size, shape and breed walking room-to-room bringing joy and an abundance of conversation. On one occasion we had a well-trained Parrot join our group!

After every visit, the volunteers can be heard saying the same thing, “Who enjoys this more? The residents, the volunteers or the animals getting all the attention?”

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