Hours
Dane County Humane Society is open for volunteers during the following times:
| Mon | 8:00 - 6:30 |
|---|---|
| Tue | 8:00 - 6:30 |
| Wed | 8:00 - 4:00 |
| Thu | 8:00 - 6:30 |
| Fri | 8:00 - 6:30 |
| Sat | 8:00 - 4:30 |
| Sun | 8:00 - 4:00 |
Please note: Volunteer hours vary on holidays. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for details.
Volunteer Orientation/Application Process
Thank you for your interest in becoming a part of Dane County Humane Society's volunteer team! Volunteers help Humane Society animals become adopted through a variety of work efforts. These efforts include animal care and socialization, administrative assistance, customer service, and humane education. If you join our team, many successful adoptions will take place because of your caring.
Step One
Complete and submit a volunteer application. The application is available at the main shelter, all Mounds Pet Food Warehouse Locations in Madison, by calling 838-0413, ext. 114, or by downloading. Send, fax or drop off the application at DCHS in care of the Volunteer Coodinator. Your volunteer profile will be compared to our anticipated volunteer needs for the six-month period following your application submission. If a match is made, you will be invited to attend volunteer orientation. If a match is not made, you will be encouraged to reapply in six months.
Step Two
At the orientation, you will learn about Dane County Humane Society. You will then sign up to be trained for available volunteer positions that match your profile, or add your name to a waiting list for future openings.
Step Three
Attend training for your volunteer position.
After all three steps are complete, you are ready to volunteer! Thank you!
Kim Krouth
Volunteer Coordinator
Dane County Humane Society
5132 Voges Rd.
Madison, WI
volunteer@giveshelter.org
(608) 838-0413, ext. 114
Volunteer Positions*
- Administrative Assistant
- After School Programs Volunteer
- Animal-Assisted Therapy for Teens Assistant
- Animal Medical Services (AMS) Assistant
- Animal Medical Services (AMS) Dermatophyte Project Assistant
- Camp Pawprint Counselor (seasonal)
- Canine Companion
- Critter Cuddler
- Feline Friend
- Foster Parent
- Gift Shop Volunteer
- "Look" Volunteer
- Mounds Adoption Satellite Centers
- Spay/Neuter Clinic Volunteer - Shelter Outreach Services (SOS) Mobile Clinic
- Spay/Neuter Clinic Volunteer - Spay Day
- Wildlife Caretakers
* Some of these positions may not currently have openings.
Administrative Assistant
Help various departments with filing, word processing, mailings, photocopying, follow-up phone calls, and other clerical duties.
| Age | 16 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Flexible - mostly weekdays during business hours |
| Commitment | Minimum 24 hours over 6-month period |
| Skills | Basic clerical skills; some positions require the ability to interact with the public in a friendly, professional manner. |
After School Club Leader
Lead one of our child or teen humane education programs. Guide and participate in activities for the afternoon, such as discussion, games, crafts, or snack. Choose to lead or co-lead one of our three after-school programs.
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Each club has four meetings. |
| Commitment | Attend all four meetings. |
| Skills | Practical knowledge of animals; experience working with children preferred. |
Animal-Assisted Therapy for Teens Assistant
DCHS brings teens and animals together for a therapeutic goal - the chance to build a better future for troubled teens. Work one-on-one with a troubled teen as the teen trains the shelter animal. Act as a mentor, friend, and leader to the teen. Volunteers are screened and interviewed to participate in the program.
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | To be determined. |
| Commitment | Volunteers MUST commit to attending every meeting with their teen. |
| Skills | Experience working with children and animals a must; experience using clicker training highly desirable. |
Animal Medical Services (AMS) Assistant
Help our veterinary staff care for animals recovering from illness, in addition to helping with surgeical prep/clean-up, recovering animals from surgery, and performing various lab duties. Feeding, cleaning, laundry, and providing animals with TLC are including in this position.
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift-based |
| Commitment | Minimum 4 hours/week over 6-month period |
| Skills | Basic animal handling of dogs and cats |
Animal Medical Services (AMS) Annex Assistant - Dermatophyte Project
Help in our Dermatophyte (Ringworm) Treatment Facility to care for animals recovering from ringworm. Feeding, cleaning, medicating, and laundry are including in this position. In this position, you will help save lives!
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift-based |
| Commitment | Minimum 2 shifts a month |
| Skills | Basic animal handling of cats |
Camp Pawprint Counselor
Help children learn about animals and their care during our summer camp. Note: These are summer positions.
| Age | 15 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift-based (ie: 8am - 3pm) |
| Commitment | Minimum commitment of one week of camp or one day each week of camp |
| Skills | Must be comfortable working with children and animals |
Canine Companion
Provide exercise and socialization for the adoptable dogs by taking them on walks, playing with them in the exercise yards, and helping them to learn their "manners."
| Age | 16 years or older alone, or 12 years or older with a parent |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Flexible, but same time every week is preferred |
| Commitment | Minimum 2 hours a week for 6 months |
| Skills | Basic handling of dogs. Training provided. |
Critter Cuddlers
Socialize our small animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, and ferrets!
| Age | 16 years or older alone or 8 years or older with a parent |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Flexible, but same time every week is preferred |
| Commitment | Minimum 2 hours a week for 6 months |
| Skills | Basic handling of animals. Training provided. |
Feline Friend
Give adoptable cats some one-on-one time out of their cages to play and cuddle.
| Age | 16 years or older alone, or 8 years or older with a parent |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Flexible, but same time every week is preferred |
| Commitment | Minimum 2 hours a week for 6 months |
| Skills | Basic handling of cats. Training provided. |
Foster Parents
Care for animals that need time in a home setting before they are adoptable. Potential foster animals are newborns, pregnant animals, animals recovering from injury or illness, or those that need time away from the stressful shelter environment in order to improve their behavior.
| Age | 18 years and older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | N/A |
| Commitment | Minimum 1 year |
| Skills | Good vet records, landlord approval if renting, enough time to properly care for foster animal |
Gift Shop Volunteer
Be the friendly faces behind the counter of the DCHS gift shop, which sells animal care supplies, t-shirts and books. Responsibilities include handling cash registers transactions, restocking and straightening the store, and occasional clerical projects. The gift shop also houses adoptable cats, which may be socialized when time allows.
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift-based (ie 11:30 am - 3:30 pm every Monday) |
| Commitment | Minimum 6 months |
| Skills | Cash register experience required, other training will be provided. |
Look Volunteer
Help potential adopters choose the pet that best fits their living situation. Evaluate information from the potential adopter's application and the animal's file, then introduce the animal and the customer in what we call a "look".
| Age | 18 years or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift based - schedule with front office manager |
| Commitment | Minimum 48 hours in 1 year |
| Skills | Excellent customer service skills, positive attitude, ability to thoroughly complete paperwork required. |
Mounds Adoption Satellite Centers Volunteer
Help care for the small animals and cats at one of the four Mounds Adoption Satellite Centers located in Middleton, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, and on Stoughton Road in Madison. Help adopters choose a pet: answer questions, help them fill out applications, and introdcue animals to them in the adoption room. *Please Note* The Stoughton Road location only houses small animals (no cats).
| Age | 18 years or older alone, or 10 years or older with a parent |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Shift-based (ie 10am - 12pm every Monday) |
| Commitment | Minimum 6 months; reliable attendance required. |
| Skills | Basic animal handling skills. Ability to interact with the public in a positive, professional manner. Training provided. |
Spay/Neuter Clinic Volunteer - Shelter Outreach Services (SOS) Mobile Clinic
SOS is our mobile shelter outreach program, bringing spay and neuter services to rescue groups and shelters in Dane and surrounding counties. Mobile clinics most frequently occur on Thursdays and Fridays, 7:30 am to 5 or 6 pm, and potentially Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
| Position | Intake Volunteer |
|---|---|
| Data processing, assist with check in, assign forms to patients. Provide basic restraint for exams. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Frequent Thursdays and Fridays, 7:30 am to 5 or 6 pm, potientially Tuesdays or Wednesdays. |
| Skills | Data processing, basic handling of dogs and cats. |
| Position | Recovery Volunteer |
|---|---|
| Monitor patients during recovery from anesthesia. Also clean ears, trim nails, etc. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Frequent Thursdays and Fridays, 7:30 am to 5 or 6 pm, potientially Tuesdays or Wednesdays. |
| Skills | Basic handling of dogs and cats, attention to detail. |
| Position | Surgery/Prep Volunteer |
|---|---|
| Assist SOS staff veterinarian and technician with monitoring and prep as directed. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Frequent Thursdays and Fridays, 7:30 am to 5 or 6 pm, potientially Tuesdays or Wednesdays. |
| Skills | Previous experience. |
Spay/Neuter Clinic Volunteer - Spay Day
Every other Saturday, DCHS provides low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for the pets of families who might not otherwise be able to afford sterilization sugery. Join DCHS in providing these surgeries, recognized as the number one solution to addressing the crisis of pet overpopulation.
| Position | Spay Day Client Assistant |
|---|---|
| Assist with check in and discharge. Interact with clients, retrieve records, basic cat handling and restraint, weigh patients and record, transport from reception to AMS and discharge. Assist with exam and records. Keep reception area clean. Understand and explain patient aftercare instructions. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Saturday morning (7-9 am) or afternoon (3-5 pm) |
| Skills | Basic handling of cats, customer service skills. |
| Position | Recovery Volunteer I |
|---|---|
| Monitor patients during recovery from anesthesia under supervision of Recovery Volunteer II. Clean up patients from surgery (blood, urine, etc.), clean ears, clip nails, are patients and records for discharge. Keep recovery area clean. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Saturday morning (8 am - noon) or afternoon (noon - 4 pm) |
| Skills | Basic handling of cats. |
| Position | Pack and Scrub Volunteer |
|---|---|
| Retrieve packs from completed surgeries, clean up surgery and sterilization areas, clean, repack, sterilize and restock surgery instruments and supplies, open sterile surgery packs and supplies appropriately. Training provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Saturday morning (8 am - noon) or afternoon (noon - 4 pm) |
| Skills | Cleanliness and attention to detail. |
| Position | Surgery/Prep Volunteer |
|---|---|
| Assist Spay Day staff technicians with induction, prep and monitoring of surgery patients as needed. This position requires some previous experience as a veterinary assistant and/or with Spay Day, but some training will be provided. | |
| Age | 18 years or older |
| Schedule | Saturdays, every other or once a month, minimum 6 months |
| Skills | Previous experience. |
| Position | "Lunch Ladies" |
|---|---|
| Provide sustenance for about 15 tired volunteers in need of homemade lunchtime goodies. Family recipes preferred, vegetarian options appreciated. Utensils provided. | |
| Schedule | Saturdays |
| Skills | Able to cook and deliver to DCHS |
Wildlife Caretakers
Assist in the daily care of wild animals for eventual release back into the wild. The wildlife rehab season runs from approximately May through September.
| Age | 18 or older |
|---|---|
| Schedule | 4-8 hours per week, including one weekend per month |
| Commitment | Minimum 3 months |
| Skills | Animal handling experience, preferably with wild, zoo, or exotic animals. |
The volunteer positions listed above are the entry-level positions for new volunteers. Several other positions and advancements are available to volunteers who show exceptional skill and commitment. Thank you for your desire to help the animals at Dane County Humane Society.
