The animals and staff at AC&C need you! We are a very busy shelter with many animals and people entering through our doors. We strive to provide the best possible service and always need volunteers!
To be considered a full time volunteer there's a minimum time requirement of 4 hours a month.
Where volunteers are most needed:
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Lobby Attendant & Animal Interaction – Volunteers assist front counter staff by retrieving animals from the adoption kennels for citizen introduction and adoption consideration. Pet owner education also is relayed through conversations with the adopters. Plus, pet owners often search for lost animals at our shelter and need direction from volunteers.
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Exercising/Socializing Animals – The shelter's dogs, cats and rodents spend a lot of time in their cages and kennel runs. Volunteer attention given to the animals through walks, petting, side yard runs and toy play provide the physical release and trust building interaction needed.
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Laundry – The staff needs help with making sure laundry is washed, dried, and folded up.
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Off-site Adoption Events – Adoption saves animal lives and the opportunity to adopt is given not only within the shelter but also at various off-site locations throughout the county. Volunteers are needed to assist with adoption event preparation including animal social skill assessment, animal bathing and supply gathering. Adoption events are managed through volunteer shifts and the jobs include animal showcases, public education, adoption agent paperwork duties and mascot costume wear!
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Rabies Vaccination/Microchip Clinics – Volunteer support to the vet staff within clinics is needed on the second Saturday of each month. Assistance includes filling out paperwork and line control.
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Weekdays Spay/Neuter Clinics - Animal patient check-in, surgery recovery monitoring, instrument pack assembly and crowd control are some of the jobs assisted by the volunteers.
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Pictures, videos, bios – Animals are made adoptable every day. New pictures, videos, and bios need to be created for marketing them in order to help them find new homes.
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Kennel Cleaning - We are always in need of kennel cleaning assistance due to staffing and other challenges. This includes both dogs kennels, cat cages, and even washing bowls and Kong toys.
After processing your application, and completing a background check, you'll be scheduled for a drug test. Once cleared, you'll be scheduled to meet with a CMPD staff member. Then, you will be partnered with a volunteer mentor for training, and receive your On-Site Activity shirt for $5.
The volunteer process can take some time since we are part of the police department. We ask that you be patient while your application and background checks are processed. Once complete, you'll be contacted for a drug test, and then contacted to attend a volunteer orientation. The process could take 3-4 weeks but the wait is worth it.
Ready to join the volunteer team? Great! Fill out the volunteer application.
Are you looking to have your group come visit and give a helping hand for a few hours or a day? We appreciate the assistance with tasks like laundry and cleaning around the shelter! Please contact our volunteer coordinator at
cody.trespalacios@cmpd.org .
If you are already a volunteer, be sure to enter your hours at myimpact.com.
Court order volunteering: please contact Supervisor Miller at kimberly.miller@cmpd.org.
This is a completely separate program from the full volunteer program.
ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: If you have chosen animal fields or animal cruelty/abuse for your projects, please read carefully.
If your project includes a questionnaire, please email our Officer Shrewsbury at julia.conner@cmpd.org and he will be happy to answer them. One on one interviews are possible but by appointment only.
We know that your projects may require volunteer hours. Unfortunately, due to the volunteer unit being under CMPD, anyone under 18 years of age is not allowed to volunteer. If you are 18 we can set you up with our volunteer coordinator to sign a waiver and be assigned to some projects around the shelter but it will not include animal interactions.
As an alternative, we always need money and supplies to help our shelter animals. If your project allows, you can hold a fundraiser and/or donation drive for us. Head to the donation page to find out what supplies we need, and which funds you'd like to finance.