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Volunteer

We need you!

Thank you for your interest in joining our team! There is simply no way to do this work without our incredible network of volunteers. No matter which role you choose, every minute you donate to the Wisconsin Humane Society will make a lasting impact far beyond the task at hand.  

Why volunteer at WHS?

  • Make a difference! 
    Be the reason a tail wags or a family stays together. No matter which role you support as volunteer, you’ll make a difference for animals and the people who love them.  Whether you’re providing animals with day-to-day care, releasing a wildlife patient back into their natural habitat, engaging the new generation of animal enthusiasts, or connecting families to critical resources, your time at WHS matters and expands our impact for animals and our community. 

  • Learn new skills alongside an amazing team.
    Grow your skills with hands-on experience in animal care, teamwork, and communication, while working alongside a supportive team of staff and volunteers who are also connected to our mission. 

  • There are so many ways – and places – to get involved!
    We offer hands-on roles with animals, opportunities to work directly with community members, behind-the-scenes roles, and everything in between. And with six sheltering campuses, a wildlife rehabilitation center, and a spay/neuter clinic, we have a variety of roles and locations to choose from. 

The time you give as a volunteer matters. We truly could not  impact so many animals and families without our volunteers! 

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Available Volunteer Positions

We offer a variety of volunteer roles to fit your interests, schedule, and skills, including hands-on roles with animals, opportunities to work directly with community members, behind-the-scenes roles, and more - there’s something for everyone! Current positions are listed on each location’s application page, linked in the Apply section below. 

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Program Guidelines

Here are a few important notes about our program: 

  • You must be at least 16 years old to volunteer on your own, or 13-15 with a guardian. Age requirements vary by position.  
  • For roles that are hands-on with animals, we require a minimum six-month commitment. If you are unable to make that commitment, we do have some other volunteer opportunities with more flexibility.  
  • Many of our positions require a weekly shift, but we also offer opportunities that are scheduled by event or as needed. 

If this sounds like the right fit for you, we’d love to hear from you. Check out the section below to apply! 

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Apply to Volunteer

To join our amazing team of volunteers, please select a location below to view available positions and submit a volunteer application.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

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Voluntee Program FAQs

 

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Can I volunteer with a friend or family member?
Yes! We’d be happy to help you and your friend/family member identify a role that’s a good fit for each of you with overlapping shifts if we’re able. For certain roles, we may be able to accommodate simultaneous shifts within the same position.  

If you are a guardian looking to volunteer with a minor, they must be at least 13 years of age, and you both will be working together during your shift. 


How old do you need to be to volunteer?
For the safety of our volunteers and animals, volunteers must be at least 13 years old. We have specific positions for young people ages 13 to 15 to volunteer with an adult, and 16- to 17-year-olds can volunteer on their own in most positions. A parent or guardian needs to sign a consent form so they must be present when submitting the application online.  Some positions require volunteers to be at least 18 years old. 

We don’t make exceptions to our age requirements, but kids of all ages can support animals through service projects and more! Click here for fun ideas like making toys for animals, holding your own fundraiser, or collecting items from our wish list. We also offer youth programs for animal-loving kids ages 4-18. From camps and birthday parties to field trips and Kids Night Out, these engaging programs provide young people the opportunity to get involved at WHS and, of course, a chance to meet animals! Click here to learn more about our youth programs.  

Kids can also help through fostering! Although the primary volunteer must be at least 18 years of age, the entire family can participate in the fostering experience! Click here to learn more and apply


Do you offer group volunteer opportunities? 
Our volunteer program does not directly offer opportunities for large groups, but we do have many ways for companies to get involved with WHS. Click here to learn more about our corporate partnership options!  Young people or school groups interested in doing service projects to benefit animals can find additional resources here!


Can I volunteer if I need school service hours? 
We offer school community service hours for students aged 13 and up. Students aged 13-15 years must volunteer with an adult, and students 16 years or older may volunteer on their own for some positions. Most positions require a weekly commitment, and we may not be able to support requests for fewer than 15 hours of service. 


What is the time commitment required to volunteer?
Due to the training required for most of our volunteer positions, we require at least a six-month commitment for roles that are hands-on with animals. Limited volunteer opportunities for other roles are available if you are not able to make that commitment. Please indicate the length of time you can commit to on your volunteer application so we can best match you with a position.  
Many of our positions require a weekly commitment, but we also provide opportunities that are scheduled by event or as needed.  


Do you offer short-term volunteer opportunities?   
Due to the training required for most of our roles, we typically cannot support requests to volunteer for fewer than 15 total hours. We may be able to provide limited opportunities for volunteer hours to be completed from home. Please contact the volunteer coordinator at your campus for more info.


Will I receive training before I start volunteering?
Yes! Each role has training sessions that cover all aspects of the volunteer role, especially animal handling and safety for hands-on care positions. Training is conducted by both staff and volunteer mentors. The time it takes to complete training varies based on volunteer availability, schedules, and the training needs of the volunteer role.  


Is there a cost to volunteer at WHS? 
For safety and visibility, volunteers need to purchase a volunteer T–shirt and name badge, which costs $10 plus tax. We never want financial barriers to stand in the way of someone sharing their time with our organization, so if this is not something you can accommodate at the moment, please let us know and we will waive the fee. 


Do volunteers need to be able to work independently? 
Due to staffing limitations, volunteers need to be able to perform their roles independently or bring someone with them to assist if support is needed. 


What are the physical and other requirements for volunteer roles? 
Each role has its own requirements, including time commitment, physical requirements, and more. To learn more about the requirements of each role, scroll up to the Apply section above, and click on the campus link where you want to volunteer to view the list of current open positions. Click on each role to learn more and view the requirements. 


Can I volunteer if I have a criminal background or need court-ordered community services hours? 
We support volunteers with a criminal background or who need court-ordered community service if all convictions are non-violent and do not include theft or any conviction related to sale or intent to sell controlled substances in the past 7 years. 

In addition, we may not be able to accommodate certain weapons, threats of violence, and animal-related charges. If you have pending charges in any of the categories above, we will consider your eligibility for our program once pending charges are resolved.  

We may not be able to support requests for fewer than 15 hours of community service, and we do not provide in-shelter court-ordered service for minors or those whose crimes they are seeking community service occurred when they were a minor. We may be able to provide limited opportunities for volunteer hours to be completed from home.  Contact the volunteer coordinator at your campus for more info. 

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Contact Us

Still have questions or need help deciding where to start?

Contact us - we’re excited to have you join our team!

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