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Volunteer at the Door County Campus

Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering at the Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus!

Requirements & Guidelines to Become a Volunteer

  • Due to the amount of training we require for most of our volunteer positions, we prefer at least a 6-month commitment, however, limited opportunities are available if you are unable to give a 6-month commitment.  Some positions may require a weekly commitment as well.  Please let our volunteer coordinator know of your commitment availability when you apply.  
  • Volunteer opportunities are available for those 13 years and older. All volunteers ages 13 through 15 must volunteer with an adult. If the accompanying adult is not the child’s legal guardian, we will require permission to be given from the legal Guardian. The adult/child pair works as a team on every shift and undergoes the same orientation and training.  For volunteers ages 16 and 17, most positions do not require them to volunteer with an adult. However, a parent or guardian will need to sign a consent form, so we recommended they be present when submitting the application in order to expedite the process. Positions are campus-specific, so please check with your volunteer coordinator for more information. 
  • Volunteers must be able to read and comprehend detailed policy and protocol information as well as being able to remember and follow shelter rules.
  • Volunteers must be able to understand and fulfill all responsibilities of their role independently.  If an individual cannot volunteer on your own, we may require that someone comes to assist.
  • Volunteers must be able to physically fulfill the duties of their volunteer role. Most volunteer roles require volunteers to be able to stand and/or walk for up to 3 hours and be able to lift and carry up to 20 lbs. Some positions are more physical than others and require being able to lift 40 lbs.
  • Volunteers must be able to have regular access to the internet and an email account. 
  • Costs & Supplies – all volunteers need to purchase a volunteer t-shirt and name badge for a total cost of $10+tax.
  • We do not offer court-ordered community service. Please contact the Volunteer Center of Door County at 920-746-7704, to see which organizations do offer court-ordered community service.  
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Important Notes about Volunteering

  • We do not offer group volunteer opportunities for school groups. If a school group is interested in doing a service project, please follow this link for options: www.wihumane.org/for-kids/kids-can-help. 
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Volunteer Positions

The Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus relies on volunteers for support across our entire shelter. On any given day, you’re likely to find volunteers walking dogs, taking care of the animals, doing laundry, helping with yard work, completing administrative tasks, and so much more. Our needs are constantly changing – to find out what positions are currently open, be sure to watch our Volunteer Info Session video below!  

Want to make a difference from home? Consider becoming a foster parent to an animal in need! 

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How to Become a Volunteer

Step 1: Watch the Volunteer Information Session video below. You will learn all about our organization, our volunteer program and expectations, and what our current needs are. 

 

Step 2: Once you have watched the Volunteer Information Session video, contact our volunteer coordinator indicating that you have watched the video and would like to receive the list of current volunteer opportunities and the volunteer application. Contact information will be provided at the end of the video. 

Step 3: Apply! Once we have received and reviewed your volunteer application, we contact you to schedule a Meet & Greet. The Meet & Greet will be a one on one meeting or in small groups with the department that you have expressed an interest to volunteer with.  At the Meet & Greet you will get a tour of the shelter, we will schedule further training and select your volunteer shift. We will also take payment for your volunteer t-shirt and name badge. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Katie Gut at kgut@wihumane.org.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I am under 13 years of age and I am very mature, do you make any exceptions to your minimum age?

For the safety of our volunteers and animals, we do require that all volunteers be at least 13 years of age to volunteer with any adult. There are a few options for youth to volunteer on their own, such as Shelter Crew (in which you can be 16 and up). We have many other ways for youth to support the animals and learn about animal welfare. Please click here to get ideas on how to make toys for the animals, hold your own fundraiser or collect items from our “wish list” from the surrounding community to support the animals.

Youth can also consider having a guardian apply to be a foster volunteer. Although the primary volunteer must be 18 years of age, the entire family can participate in the fostering experience.

Will I have training before I start to volunteer?

Yes. Each role has training sessions that cover all aspects of the volunteer role. Training is done with both staff and volunteer mentors. The time it takes to complete training varies, based on volunteer availability, training schedules and the specific training needs of the volunteer role.

I don’t have a computer or email; can I just fill out a paper application?

Due to the high volume of volunteer applicants we receive each year and the costs associated with paper applications, we are no longer able to process paper applications. The most cost-effective way for us to communicate with volunteer applicants and our current volunteers is with online services and email. For this reason, we have moved our application process online along with all of our volunteer scheduling.

Using email and online scheduling saves money on postage and printing costs, and helps to keep our program viable and efficient. Plus, the vast majority of communications between WHS and our volunteers is done via email. For this reason, we require that all volunteers have online access and a current email address

Can I be a part of the volunteer program if I have a criminal background?  

WHS requires all persons applying to volunteer to state any past criminal record and reserves the right to conduct a background check on any volunteer. A criminal background does not necessarily immediately disqualify you from volunteering.

Volunteers are scheduled one shift per week, what if I am going on vacation?

We understand that life can be busy and have made our scheduling process as flexible as we are able. To make scheduling easy to manage, volunteers have a set schedule working the same shift time on the same day of the week. Volunteers manage their own schedules online and we allow for regular vacations and pre-arranged shift adjustments. When removing themselves from the schedule, volunteers are welcome to pick up a make-up shift, but it is not required.

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