Volunteer
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Foothills Animal Rescue. As a non-profit organization, we rely on our dedicated volunteers to perform a wide range of tasks at our shelter. In order to fully utilize our resources for the animals in our care, our work for the community comes from more than 250 shelter and resale boutique volunteers.
Please find volunteer role descriptions below.
Volunteer Opportunities
Individual Opportunities
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old to work directly with our animals, even with a parent present. Please check out the Youth Volunteer Opportunities and Supply Drive info to the right.
- Assist with dog socialization
- Observe health and behavior, report new information to staff as necessary
- Ensure cleanliness of room and outside area
- Walk dogs along established route in suitable weather conditions
- Take and follow directions from staff at all times
- Ability to advocate for FAR when along walking or hiking routes
- New Volunteer Orientation and Dog Attendant Training shift
- Must be able to safely walk dogs of all sizes, ages and temperaments
- Ability to bend and move in accordance with dog cleaning and waste pick up
- Must wear closed toed shoes at all times
- Possible exposure to various cleaning agents
Click here for the Dog Attendant position description.
- Thoroughly scoop and replenish litter in boxes
- Refresh water and food, as directed by staff
- Sweep and mop floor
- Wipe down doors/windows inside and out of rooms, as needed
- Socialize cats, observe and report behavior
- New Volunteer Orientation and Cat Attendant Training shift
- Position involves repetitive bending and lifting
- Possible exposure to various cleaning agents
- Bathing and grooming shelter dogs
- New Volunteer Orientation
- Ability to safely handle dogs of various sizes and ages
- May involve bending and lifting; team player
- Learn the ins and outs of the Dog Attendant Training program
- Hold training sessions for new volunteers interested in dog shifts
- Conduct a tour of the facility and show new volunteers what they will do on regular Dog Attendant shifts
- New Volunteer Orientation, 50 hours of Dog Attendant shifts
- All requirements of regular Dog Attendant description as well
- Assisting in set up and tear down of event materials, including loading and unloading shelter van
- Advocate for FAR and our mission in a public setting
- Care for dogs that are on site for events
- Interact with with the public with a positive attitude
- New Volunteer Orientation
- Volunteers invited to participate at staff discretion
- Upbeat attitude
- Willingness to interact and speak with public in a group setting
- Ability to maintain control of dog(s) with potential distractions
- Aid shelter staff in introducing animals to potential adopters
- Talk to the public in a respectful and knowledgeable manner
- Prepare folders and supplies for adopters and assist in writing thank you cards between appointments
- Become familiar with animals in the shelter on a regular basis
- Finalize and go through adoption paperwork with adopters
- Organized and polite
- Maintains a positive attitude with the public
- Can handle leashing and taking all types of dogs out of rooms to meet potential adopters
- Assist photographer with handling both dogs and cats for photo sessions
- New Volunteer Orientation
- Ability to take direction from photographer
- Ability to take animals out of rooms and maintain control the entire time
Group Opportunities
We get many requests from people who wish to volunteer as a group at our Campus. Due to the size and layout of our facility, we are unable to accommodate group activities. However, there are plenty of other ways you can support our Mission and help homeless pets!
Support Foothills Animal Rescue by participating in one of our upcoming fundraising events. We host two large special events annually: Paws to Celebrate (March/April) and Whiskers & Wine (October).
Corporate sponsorships are also available for both events with sponsorship levels ranging from $500 to $10,000. Click the link below to email Lana Shapiro for more information.
MORE INFO: Click here to Email Lana Shapiro
The age to volunteer at the shelter is currently 18 years old. School-aged children interested in volunteering can organize and host fundraising events such as bake sales, car washes or yard sales with parent supervision. They can also get together with classmates, teammates or other extracurricular group members to host a supply drive within your community of friends, family or neighbors.
MORE INFO: Click here to Email Emily Sathis
We are always looking for supplies to keep our shelter pets comfortable during their stay with us. This could include toys, treats, food, cleaning supplies and more. If you’d like to host a donation drive at your company, church, school, etc. you can download and print our Wish List to hand out to your participants. Be sure to print out the Supply Drive Flyer to hang throughout your place of business or wherever you plan to promote your drive.
Let us know when your Supply Drive is complete and we can arrange for a donation drop off and tour (up to 15 guests) of our Brynne Smith Memorial Campus in North Scottsdale.
MORE INFO: Click here to Email Emily Sathis
WISH LIST: View Amazon Wish List
PDF WISH LIST: Download Wish List
