Volunteer/Internships

The Rescue League offers volunteer and internship opportunities.

Volunteer

Do you have a desire to help animals?

Volunteering can be a rewarding experience in many ways. You may have a skill or an occupation that will be beneficial to the Rescue League. Whether your skills/interests involve directly caring for the animals or helping in other areas such as transporting, assisting in adoption fairs, or fund-raising, it all benefits the animals. Volunteers can help in a variety of ways such as walking/playing with animals, helping with fundraising events, or general cleaning. Extra help is always welcome.

If you wish to volunteer, please download the Volunteer Application.
Forms can be mailed to 139 Holden Street, Worcester, MA 01606, dropped off to the shelter, faxed to 508-852-1868, or scanned and emailed to WARLVolunteer@gmail.com   

Volunteer Program Outline

  • Fill out application and register for orientation.
  • After the completion of the orientation, volunteers are able to complete the following tasks: General cleaning, office assistance, laundry, washing dishes & litter boxes, sweeping & mopping, event assistance, yard work, and more.
  • Register for one or more “sessions”. These are a must to work directly with the pets.
  • Cat Session #1
  • Dog Session # 1
  • Events/Clerical
  • Complete extra sessions.
  • Register for more specific sessions, including:
  • Doggy Manners 101
  • Enrichment programs
  • Field Trips
  • Become a Volunteer Mentor. A volunteer mentor has the ability to train new volunteers, and assist the volunteer coordinators with the workings of the program.

Volunteer Requirements

After completing the volunteer application, please call to make a reservation for the orientation. Orientation must be completed before any volunteering can take place.

Age Requirements

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to interact with the animals. Volunteers 16-18 years of age are welcomed but are prohibited to interact with any pets unless a parent/guardian is present, and only after both have completed the orientation. Volunteers under 16 are not allowed to interact with any pets even if a parent/guardian is present. Parents/guardians must be over 18, and must be in control of the pet. This means the parent/guardian must be the one holding onto a leash of a dog, or be supervising their child if visiting with a cat. Indirect interaction with the pets at the shelter is often more helpful than direct interaction. Every little bit helps!

Volunteer Attire

Volunteers must dress appropriately throughout participation. WARL is not responsible for damaged clothing, accessories or personal property. Please dress ready for dirt, sweat, fur and more.

  • No skirts or other potentially revealing clothing.
  • Shoes should be skid proof sneakers, or skid proof sandals that wrap around your ankle and will not come off. No flip flops!
  • Jewelry can be easily mistaken for a toy and played with, bitten, or pulled off. Wear at your own risk.
  • We require that you be easily identified by the public as a volunteer. Volunteers must wear a Worcester Animal Rescue League name badge identifying them as a volunteer. 

Foster Homes

Growing in demand and in popularity is our foster care program. Many animals fare better in a home environment and may need more individualized care. Foster homes allow us to help these animals better. For the foster parent, it can be extremely rewarding and a good learning experience.

For those interested in this area, applications are available at the front desk.

Internship Opportunities

Internships can focus around a variety of shelter functions in addition to animal welfare, promotional work, or fundraising hours. If you are interested in interning, please complete a volunteer application, and inform us of your internship needs so that we can make every effort to meet your institution's guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is there a minimum amount of hours required to volunteer?

A: Yes, we require a minimum of 4 hours each month, and one event a year. These requirements can be fulfilled in one day, or spread out across the month.

Q: Is there a fee for volunteering?

A: Volunteering at WARL is free, but donations to cover the expenses are always welcomed. Generally, it costs $7-$15 per volunteer for a name badge, the volunteer manual, and a volunteer t-shirt.

Q: Can I adopt an animal that I have been working with?

A: Volunteers are certainly eligible to adopt animals. Care should be taken, however, not to make impulsive decisions that you or other household members may regret and ultimately not be good for the animal. If you do want to adopt an animal, we would encourage you to speak to an adoption coordinator.

Q: What hours can I do volunteer work?

A: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday 8:30 AM to 12 PM, and Sunday 12PM – 4PM. You decide how long you volunteer for, whether it’s 15 minutes or 6 hours.

Q: Is it dangerous for my pets at home to be spending time in the kennels?

A: WARL has a number of procedures to not only keep the kennel free of diseases but to also eliminate the possibility of transferring diseases back and forth from homes. Almost all Rescue League workers and volunteers have pets of their own, so disease control systems are in place and guidelines exist to address this issue.

 

WARL has the ability to deny or terminate any volunteer at any time without reason.