Ways you can volunteer
Become an Adoption Ambassador
Have you ever fostered for us in the past and wondered what it would be like to find your foster pet it's new home? Have you ever thought about all of the things you wish you could tell the new adopter about your foster companion? If so, then consider joining our Adoption Ambassador program. As an Adoption Ambassador, you will be an active participant in finding your foster dog a new home. We will give you all the tools needed to market your foster pet, such as an adoptable pet jacket, business cards, and county park pass. Then we will train you on how to perform an adoption, empowering you to place your foster pet into the perfect home. If you are interested in learning more about this new program, please call Courtney Gumienny at 843.329.1577 or e-mail cgumienny@charlestonanimalsociety.org
Volunteer Positions
The following is a list of some of the available volunteer positions at the Charleston Animal Society. To learn more, please attend a New Volunteer Orientation, and/or contact Steve O'Brien, Director of Volunteers and Emergency Services, at sobrien@charlestonanimalsociety.org, or 843-329-1558.
Adoption Help & Readiness
Dog feeding and kennel cleaning - Help us get ready for adoption hours by assisting with the feeding of the dogs in the morning, as well as cleaning their kennels to help make them ready for their adoption! Hours needed: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM.
Cat feeding and enclosure cleaning - Help us get ready for adoption hours by assisting with the feeding of the cats in the morning, as well as cleaning their enclosures to help make them ready for their adoption into a new home! Hours needed: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM - 6 PM.
Dog playtime - Our dogs need their exercise and play time. Help by taking them outside and giving them the socialization they need to be ready for their new homes. Hours needed: Anytime during shelter hours.
Cat playtime - Cats love attention! Take the time to play and with them and help them feel comfortable around people; you might even be able to show a potential adopter all the great things about our furry friends! Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours.
Dog bathing - A great way to spend some time with the animals is by getting them clean and providing some human interaction! Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours (staff assistance necessary).
Dog and Cat Foster Program - Assist the mission of CAS by providing foster homes for dogs and cats as a Foster Program volunteer! Contact Jodi Osborne, at josborne@charlestonanimalsociety.org or 843-329-1543.
Enrichment supplies - Prepare supplies used to improve the quality-of-life for animals and give them some varierty while they are at the center. Hours needed: Anytime during shelter hours.
Meet Your Match - Meet Your Match is a personality assessment program for dogs and cats. Help us get our animals ready for adoption by assessing what type of pet they will be. This position requires approximately 8 hours of training. Hours needed: Shelter hours.
SAFER - SAFER (Safety Assessment For Evaluating Rehoming) is an assessment tool for dogs which uses a consistent and predictive method to predict future aggression. Previous dog handling experience is required. This position requires approximately one month or more of training. Hours needed: Shelter hours.
Customer Service (adoptions) - Choosing a pet is a big decision for the adopter and the adoptee! This is a great way to help people find their perfect match and place an animal into its new home. Our volunteers get to know the animals well and can be great at finding the perfect pair. Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours.
Laundry support - Care of the animals at CAS involves the use of loads of towels, linens, and toys that need to be washed for re-use. Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours.
Customer service
Lost and Found - help us reunite pets with their lost families! Assist with data entry, lost and found research, animal photography, and client follow-up. Requires computer and phone skills, ability to search the web, and strong customer service skills. Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours.
Greeting the public - On the weekends we are particularly busy – this is a great time to welcome guests as they arrive and record their information. You can help answer questions, point them in the right direction, and hopefully send them home with a new family member! Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours, especially Fridays - Sundays.
Shelter Retail Store - We have a great retail store in our shelter, and we can always use extra help with inventory, pricing, organizing, and working at the store on the weekends. Hours needed: Flexible during weekend shelter hours.
Surgical support
Spay/Neuter Lifeguarding - Assist with dogs and cats after they have been spayed or neutered. Previous animal care experience is required. Hours needed: Early in the day, Mondays – Saturdays.
Surgical Support - Help ready the Spay-Neuter Clinic for daily surgical procedures, and support Clinic needs. Hours needed: Mondays - Saturdays, during Clinic hours.
Maintenance/grounds
Landscaping - Our visitors love to be greeted by a well-kept campus. We need help with the upkeep of our outside areas. Tools will be provided. Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours.
Marketing
Animal photography and website support - So much of the world is driven by the internet – and we want to keep up. We try to keep all of our animal’s photos on the website and on Facebook so that potential adopters can see them from the comfort of their own home. It is a huge help to us to have their pictures taken and posted on our website and Facebook page. Skills needed: photography experience, photo editing, and website management. Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours, with some work from home.
Animal marketing - This creative writing position assists by describing our animals so that potential adopters can get a sense of who the animal is when they visit the shelter. You may even be able to name the animals! Hours needed: Flexible during shelter hours, with some work from home.
Special events
Event Staffing - The Charleston Animal Society has several fundraisers and “friend-raisers” throughout the year. We also participate in a wide variety of community events. We always need help staffing our annual Chili Cook-off, or at a festival to talk to the public about our organization, or making calls to secure art for our Furry Affair. You name it! Hours needed: Flexible throughout the year.
Mission-Support Opportunities
Education Programs volunteer - Join our Director of Humane Education in the classroom working with kids and teaching them the importance of responsible animal care, help with summer camps, scouting groups and so much more! Hours needed: Various.
Free-roaming Cat Release Program volunteer - Assist us with returning free-roaming cats to their home environment after they have been neutered/spayed and vaccinated. Requires use of a vehicle and a clean driving record, and the ability to read maps and release animals throughout the county. Hours needed: Shelter hours, as needed.
Emergency Planning and Response - From major disasters to local emergencies, the Charleston Animal Society has to prepare and respond so that we can continue our work. Help plan for these events, train staff and volunteers, and respond when the time comes. Hours needed: Weekdays and evenings (work from home) during planning and preparedness, and as-needed during disasters and emergencies.