Shelter Care Insurance is given to each
adopter at HES!
The first month is free!
HES has a variety of volunteer opportunities available! If you are
interested in becoming a shelter volunteer please fill out an
application and contact by
email or by calling us at 423-5302
Ext. 242!
Under the initial guidance of the Volunteer Coordinator or other
designated staff member, individuals will take shelter animals
to visit adult day care centers, nursing homes, or hospitals.
Each pet used for therapy must be current on all vaccinations.
Time commitment for pet therapy is generally two hours per
visit. Training will be provided by the Volunteer Coordinator.
Both cats and dogs housed at the Humane Educational Society need
socializing for bonding, exercise, companionship and reducing
stress. Volunteers will socialize only with those animals available
for adoption. No volunteer is permitted in the quarantine or cat
isolation rooms. Socializers are expected to understand adoption
procedures, as they will frequently be asked questions by visitors.
Training will be provided by the Office Staff, front office workers
or the kennel staff.
Cats
Cat socializers interact one-on-one with homeless cats to ensure
that their time at the Humane Educational Society is as enjoyable
and stress-free as possible. Cat socializers pet, groom, and play
with the animals, tidy the cat's living areas, and interact with
potential pet adopters. At no time will cat socializers allow cats
to roam freely in the cattery.
Cat socializers are instructed to handle cats cautiously because of
upper respiratory infection, to disinfect hands and clothing between
handling each cat, and to monitor the public's contact with the
animals.
Dogs
Generally dog socializers walk dogs, an important activity that
provides play and exercise time. Volunteers are instructed to
properly leash and collar dogs, to scoop any excrement while
walking, and to secure dogs in their runs upon returning to the
Shelter.
Dog walkers must control dogs so that they do not jump on people or
other dogs, and at no time, are dogs allowed off a leash. Since dogs
must be at the Shelter for potential adopters, dog walkers are
instructed to avoid walking dogs during peak adoption hours. This
may include weekends, evenings, and most holidays.
Many volunteers want to interact directly with animals. Kennel
volunteers perform a wide variety of tasks, ranging from
cleaning kennel runs and cat cages, feeding or assisting with
medicating and grooming, to assisting with administrative and
laundry chores. Training will be provided by the Kennel Manager.
Volunteers are scheduled to work based upon the needs of the
Humane Educational Society and are expected to adhere to a
designated work schedule.
To qualify as a front office assistant, volunteers must be able to
interact well with people, to make decisions, and to handle several
tasks at one time. Volunteers will respond to telephone inquiries,
explain adoption procedures, and help potential adopters select
pets, match lost/found reports, and sell dog licenses and pet
products. Training will be provided by the Office Manager.
Volunteers do not handle cash transactions, operate the cash
register, or approve adoption applications unless they have been
trained to do so. Because of the extensive training involved, front
office volunteers must commit to a weekly schedule.
Frequently, the staff will need assistance with a variety of
projects. These projects may include typing or computer inputting,
filing, mailings, coordination of humane education or adoption
packets, or following up on lost and found reports. Training will be
provided by the Office Manager or Volunteer Coordinator.
To qualify for the off-site adoption program, volunteers must be
able to interact well with people, to make decisions, and to handle
several tasks at one time. Volunteers will assist with cleaning
animals, loading the adoption bus, explaining adoption procedures,
and helping potential adopters select pets.
Volunteers are scheduled to work based upon the needs of the Humane
Educational Society and are expected to adhere to a designated work
schedule.
Volunteers
in this program will be responsible for mowing, trimming weeds,
fixing equipment, painting, or performing other handy work necessary
for shelter operations.
Volunteers are scheduled to work based upon the needs of the Humane
Educational Society and are expected to adhere to a designated work
schedule.
To qualify as a foster family you must first fill out a foster
application, which will be approved by the Volunteer
Coordinator, a shelter manager or the Executive Director. This
program is designed to provide a foster home for young kittens
and puppies until they are old enough (8 weeks) and up to weight
(kittens 2 lbs., puppies 5 lbs.) to undergo spay/neuter surgery,
or to provide a foster home for sick animals.
Volunteers in this program may work on committees developed by the
Humane Educational Society Board of Directors or the Executive
Director. Two examples of committees include fund raising and event
planning.
All volunteers working on committees must adhere to a work schedule
that is designed to follow specific timelines necessary for project
completion.
Volunteers in this program must be able to understand and impart to
both children and adults the following concept developed by the
ASPCA, “At its most basic level, humane education is about learning
to care for the animals in our homes and communities. It is about
fostering kindness, respect and empathy for both human and nonhuman
animals, and looking after the environment and its diverse habitats.
Unlike science and other academic disciplines, humane education has
a philosophical component that strives to establish a sense of
responsibility and make the world a better, more humane place.”
To qualify for this program volunteers must be able to interact well
with people, empty donation cans at new and existing locations, and
turn funds into the Office Manager or Bookkeeper. They must also
secure new locations for the cans and send thank you notes. It is
also necessary to keep well-documented records of locations.
212 N. Highland Park Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404
| Phone: 423-624-5302 | Fax: 423-624-5017 |
Contact Us
HES has a variety of volunteer opportunities available! If you are
interested in becoming a shelter volunteer please fill out an
