Thank you so much for your interest in working with our pets! We require all volunteers to attend an orientation before they begin socializing animals here at the shelter. Please contact us before attendance so we can register you. We can only accommodate so many people at once, so please contact us before hand so we know to expect you. We go over safety protocols and training regimens that we use here at the shelter to ensure that we’re all on the same page to keep a safe, consistent environment for our pets while they wait for their forever homes.
Volunteers 16 years of age and older work with cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, rabbits, and whoever else might be available for adoption on any given day. Cat cuddlers enrich our felines’ stay with playtime, some time in the sunshine if the weather allows, and lots of love and cuddling. Our small mammals need love too! Volunteers can help our little guys get used to being handled by new people from day to day.
Volunteers also help our canine friends utilizing a classical conditioning and reward-based training program. The program is designed to promote good behavior and improved manners and temperament. Utilizing the behavior modification model will involve a three-level training process, and volunteers will be implementing the new techniques to provide overall enrichment, stress reduction and increased adoptability of our canine furry friends. All adult volunteers may also socialize our feline friends and small mammals. Instructions for doing so are included in orientation as well.
Volunteer Orientation Dates
(Dates are subject to change and registered participants will be notified if the need to do so occurs).
If you need to perform court-ordered community service, orientation is not necessary. Please call the shelter at (540)434-5270 to make arrangements with staff.
Wednesday October 21
Monday November 16
Tuesday December 8
Time: 5:30 pm
(unless otherwise noted)
Class location: shelter conference room
Requirements: 16 years and up & registration in advance
This program DOES NOT count for court-ordered community service.
Registration
You can also contact the Humane Educator/Volunteer Coordinator at humane@rhspca.org
or call the shelter at (540)434-5270.
When registering, please confirm that you are at least age 16, and be sure to include your first and last name, a phone number and email address if you have one.
Youth Programs
Children ages 6-12 are invited to join our “Kid’s Club”. Please click on this link: “Kids Club” for more information. Note: when the registration limit is met, we begin taking applications for the next year.
Teens 13-15 years of age interested in volunteering will be able to do so on a limited basis. Teens and at least one parent/guardian over the age of 18 must attend a basic orientation class, and these special training sessions will be conducted on an as-needed basis. To learn more about the teen program, please click here: Teen Volunteer Program
Pet Socializer Classes
After Basic Orientation, volunteers can choose which types of pets they’d like to work with. If they want to work with everyone, that’s great! We’ll just get them to be an expert in one at a time. Click the links below to sign up for training classes on VolunteerSpot. You MUST attend Basic Orientation first!
Current Volunteers
We are now using VolunteerSpot for online sign-ups! It’s super easy to use, you don’t need a profile or password, just an email address. VS doesn’t share your email with anyone but the Volunteer Coordinator so they can contact you if there’s a problem or conflict with your chosen shift.
- Click the link below where you would like to sign up. Enter & confirm your email address.
- A list of available spots comes up separated by date and shift. Scroll through until you see the date and time you’d like to sign up for.
- If this is the first time you’ve used VolunteerSpot, be sure to provide your FIRST & LAST name in the “Name” field.
- If you know you’ll be running late for a shift, put your ETA in the “Comments” box so we’ll know to reserve your spot.
Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA 