Volunteering
Be the Difference; Volunteer with Us!
At the Springfield Humane Society, our volunteers are the absolute heartbeat of everything we do! Every year, hundreds of animals come through our doors looking for a second chance, a safe haven and a loving home. While our staff works tirelessly, we simply couldn't provide the level of individualized care, comfort and joy these animals deserve without our incredible volunteer family.
Why Your Time Matters
Volunteering isn't just about filling extra hours--it is a direct investment in saving lives and strengthening our community. Here is why our volunteers are so vital:
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Socialization & Comfort: Shelter life can be stressful. Whether you are walking dogs, socializing cats or just sitting quietly with a timid animal, your presence helps them build trust and confidence, making them that much more ready for adoption.
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Operational Support: From helping with daily shelter upkeep, to assisting at community events and fundraisers, volunteers keep our operations running smoothly so we can focus resources where they are needed most.
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Enrichment: A little extra playtime and love, a special treat or a walk on a sunny afternoon completely transforms an animal's day, keeping their minds sharp and their spirits high.
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Support Our Mission: When you volunteer, you amplify our voice, helping us to spread the word about responsible pet ownership, adoption and local advocacy.
Once an application is submitted, you will be contacted by our Volunteer Coordinator/Executive Director by email. The email is spfldhumanevolunteer@vermontel.net.
Please be sure to check your spam folders if you have not seen an email or reach out to the email listed here.
**Please note: We welcome volunteers of all ages. For liability reasons, we do require any volunteers under the age of 16 years old be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Dog Walking
Outdoor play is essential for great mental health! We are excited to have two large, outdoor pens for volunteers to exercise the dogs in our care, as well as a large field on the property for nice, long walks on a leash! You must be 18 years or older to walk dogs. Anyone under 18 years can accompany of age dog walkers. To get started, submit a volunteer application!
Socialization and Enrichment
Socializing and enrichment are two of the most important volunteer jobs at SHS! Whether it be sitting in a cat room grooming a kitty or doing clicker training with a pup who needs some extra attention, EVERY little bit helps! With the hustle and bustle of the shelter environment, staff does not always have a chance to spend one-on-one time with the pets awaiting their new homes every day. This is why volunteers are SO important! Come sit with a litter of puppies or a room full of kittens, eager to play and give love. Come whisper sweet nothings to a scared, feral kitty. Come show a homeless pet that YOU care; That humans are kind. All it takes is 30 minutes in your local shelter to make a difference to one pets life. Be the difference, come volunteer today!
Morning Cleaning
Sometimes, we have LOTS of animals that need cleaning, making it hard for staff to get to other necessary parts of shelter work! Volunteers can schedule morning shifts to come help with cleaning the dog kennels or the community cat rooms! This can be a messy task, so please dress accordingly.
Events and Fundraisers
We are always looking for happy volunteers to help at events and fundraisers! There are many different events and fundraisers we hold yearly that we will need volunteers for. Setting up/breaking down booths at events, baking for bake sales and even watching a litter of puppies at an event are just some of the options we have for volunteering at these types of outings!
General Cleaning/Upkeep
On busy days, it is great to have volunteers that want to do some grunt work! These tasks are simple and easy to manage, making them great for all ages! Some of these tasks would include: laundry, filling enrichment toys, cutting hot dogs and cheese sticks for enrichment toys, filling kongs, filling cow hooves, filling freezable treat trays, washing windows and other tasks needed that day.
Gardening
Do you enjoy gardening? We have some flower beds that need some loving attention throughout the year. We have some supplies, or bring your own!