"Compassion, integrity and reverence for life." -- Dr. Albert Schweitzer
Brazos Valley Doberman
Rescue Volunteer Opportunities
Administrative Volunteer Coordinator
This person would be responsible for contacting people as they sign up to be a volunteer and assigning them volunteer duties. The Volunteer Coordinator should be someone willing to receive calls and e-mails relating to volunteer activities at their home. Some calls may need to be made in the evening or weekends in order to contact volunteers who work outside of the home. Records would need to be kept for the number of hours volunteers have spent on different projects. Attendance at some fund raising events would be necessary to oversee volunteers or a volunteer would have to be assigned to do this. Much of this job could be done from home but will definitely be a major undertaking.
Adoption Center
Volunteers may answer phones, greet visitors, and provide clerical support to the adoption counseling staff. Volunteers are also trained to answer some very basic pet care questions and offer assistance to adopters during the application process. Requires 15 hours of volunteer service.
Adoption Counselors
Counsel potential adopters to help find the right pet for them and to make sure they understand the responsibilities and long term commitment necessary; Contacting people who are looking for a specific type of pet. There are so many dogs needing great homes and so few out there, that it is very important we are very careful and exacting when we meet and talk with somebody looking for their perfect friend. A great adoption counselor will not only get to find loving homes for the poor neglected and abandoned dogs , but will get to play the matchmaker and find the perfect fit between dog and person. They get to know the dogs and all their wonderful personalities to better find the most suitable home. Adoption counselors will conduct home visits --- after accompanying someone with experience on other home visits. Assists prospective adopters with the selection of a pet best suited to their family and lifestyle. Requires training with an experienced Adoption Counselor.
Adoptions Manager
Manage rescue and adoption activities and coordinate staff in adoptions and Animal Care. Assist in the development of new programs and management studies. Analyze data and prepare reports. Develop and monitor budget, respond to agency and public inquiries, and review programs for efficient operation.
Adoptions Supervisor
Ensure smooth and safe operation of Adoptions and Animal Care Departments. Interview, and supervise activities of staff. Ensure positive public and employee relations. Special Requirements: Strong animal handling skills required. Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills and able to resolve conflicts.
Adoption Team
The people on this team interview prospective adopting families and work to ensure a successful match.
Adoptions Counselor and Customer Service
Assist customers with adoption of animals and complete all necessary paperwork.
Adopt Us! Pet Adoption Outreach
Help our animals find new and loving homes by assisting our adoption counselors in taking pets to several locations. Such locations include visiting local PetsMart and Petco stores and other special event sites. Sites and times of events varies. Requires additional training.
Angels
Sometimes a volunteer drops down out of the sky to answer a desperate doggie's prayers. Those people are the angels - the ones who may not be able to adopt a certain dog, but will go the distance to see that he or she is well cared for. Our angels visit their dog, take the dog for a walk or groom the dog whenever they can. Some angels have run adds in their local papers, helped pay for vet bills, or just show up at the kennel with a treat and a toy. Either way, the dogs thrive under the wings of these special people who love animals.
Animal Care
Volunteer with our animal care staff, and help us maintain a clean, disease-free environment for our animals. You can assist in maintaining their habitats, grooming and exercising our dogs. Your efforts will help keep them healthy and looking good for prospective adopters.
Animal Care/Feedings
You'd be surprised how much work it takes to feed around all the dogs. Then there may be animals that need feedings in the afternoons as well. If there are any early risers out there who would like to come and mix and prepare dog foods, let us know.
Animal Professionals
We always need professional services from veterinarians, trainers, groomers and the like to help our dogs get through those tough times. If you are a professional and would be able to give some of your very busy day (or evening) to a worthy cause, you have found the right organization to do it for!
Business Professionals
We are on the lookout for business professionals of all types. We are in desperate need of marketing pros, financial wizards, project managers (to help us set up our many program ideas), and computer programming geniuses. If you are re- thinking your place in this world and have come to the conclusion that life is too short not to help make a difference for those in need, please fill out our Volunteer Form or give us a call. We really do need your help.
Dog Follow-up
This group makes follow-up calls to recent adopters to solicit information about how their new pet is acclimating to their new homes and offer support for any adjustment problems. They also share the heartwarming stories they hear with the rest of our volunteers.
Dish Washing
Feeding animals generates a whole lot of dishes. Anyone willing to risk dishpan hands?
Dog Socializer
Sit with dogs and give "quiet" time to help relieve them from stress.
Change for a Chance (Donations cans placed around town)
Rustle up pocket change for your organization by taking responsibility for placing and collecting money from Change for a Chance cans at your favorite neighborhood stops. Permission is sought from business owners and arrangements are then made regarding how money will be collected. Spare change can go a long way!
Clinic Assistant
Provide assistance to the clinic team. Handling animals for evaluation, taking temperature, drawing blood, running tests, sterilizing instruments, cleaning lab equipment, caring for isolated animals and maintaining a clean and orderly environment. Requires a minimum three month commitment, clinic supervisor approval, and 15 hours of service due to training requirements.
Dog Sponsor Coordinator
We have a sponsorship program where people send in money on a regular basis to help maintain a particular animal. The people in the sponsor program receive regular updates on their animals. The Coordinator would be responsible for generating these updates. We would give this person the information and pictures on the different animals to send out. This is a great job for someone with Internet access who may live a distance away bur wants to be involved.
Dog Care
Walking dogs for exercise, socialization, showing dogs to potential adopters. Cleaning kennels, washing bowls, stocking supplies, food and water. Bathing dogs and puppies.
Dog Caretaker
This position involves spending quality time with our dogs. It includes maintaining the safety and well-being of the dog while in your care, as well as answering general questions posed by the public. If you love dogs but can't foster this job is for you.
Dog Foster Parent
This position involves caring for one of our dogs in your home while they are awaiting adoption. If you love dogs and want one of the most rewarding jobs we have, then look no further. There are certain requirements prior to being approved as a Foster Parent, including completing a Foster Parent Application and interview
Dog Walker
This position involves working specifically with the dogs while they are boarded at our Veterinary Hospitals. It includes exercising our dogs and providing them with love and companionship.
Dog Transporter
This position involves providing safe transport for the dogs between our Veterinary Hospitals. Use of your own vehicle is required. This area requires a minimal amount of training.Training: Minimal Shifts: On-Call
Dog Walker Needed
Regular exercise is important for both humans and animals. A walker provides each dog at our shelter the opportunity to get out and stretch their legs, play and obtain a bit of training. Walkers may volunteer anytime during shelter business hours. By donating even a half hour once or twice a week, you can help make the stay of a shelter dog more enjoyable until a new home for him or her can be found. For safety reasons, walkers must be at least 18 years old.
Education
Participate in planning and delivering educational presentations pertaining to responsible pet ownership.
Follow-up Team
Humane Societies and rescues will often call the adoptive families to follow-up on the progress that the dog(s) are making. Volunteers may call these families to find out how the "settling in" period is going, and if the pets are adjusting well to its new home and family.
Foster Homes
Dogs being adopted to new homes must stay a minimum of four weeks with a "Foster Family." We try to match the dog to your lifestyle, such as a senior to a senior citizen, or a young dog to people who know how to handle youngsters. Foster parents should be able to make a commitment to spend time with the foster dog and give all the exercise, love and attention the dog needs and should be willing to spend time socializing the dog.
Fundraising and Public Relations
Everyday, hours depend on event Event planning, selling event tickets, distributing flyers and brochures, and staffing informational booths are some of the ways you can help. A variety of office-type work is also available, including mailings and computer work. Times and days you will be needed will depend on scheduled promotions and fundraisers. Office work is flexable.
Fund Raiser Manager
Purpose of this job is to increase the amount of fundraisers done each year. This person would be the one who would be willing to come up with the ideas and then spearheading them. They would have a brigade of volunteers to help them pull it off. There should always be one manager per fundraiser. This would work well if someone would like to manage one fundraiser per year that they consider to be their baby.
Fund Raiser Brigade
This is for someone who is interested in helping out at a fundraiser, but does not want to be the brains of the operation. There is always a need to run booths, answer questions, or keep an eye on animals who attend the fundraiser. The aftermath of every fundraiser includes letter writing and money counting which may be something volunteer may want to do.
Greeter
Assists the public during our weekend Open House. Supervises the Walk-In program and provides general information about our procedures to visitors.
Home Visit Team
Before a potential adopter obtains a dog or cat, they may be visited by a member of the Home Visit Team to assess the suitability of a pet to the household. We request that the home visits be done by two people and that a dog accompany you on the visit it a dog is to be adopted. This allows you to see the family’s reaction around a dog.
Home Checker
Visits homes of prospective adopters. Checks premises to ensure suitability and safety for the animal they wish to adopt (i.e. height and condition of fence, locks on gates, screens in good conditions, etc.).
Humane Education Speakers
Presents already prepared outlines on responsible pet ownership, pet overpopulation, and picking the right pet, to local schools and community groups at off-site locations.
Humane Education
Volunteers present 30-45 minutes humane education programs to local elementary school classrooms. Volunteers may request assignments to a specific school. Requires eight hours of kennel service and an additional 15 hours of education and presentation training.
Intake Team
This team evaluates each dog coming into the program. The process involves extensive telephone interviews with the person(s) relinquishing the pet. Good people skills and knowledge of dog behavior and training are necessary. The intake team rotates in weekly shifts.
Lost and Found
Check to see if any the animals in rescue match the description of those listed as lost. Notify owners by phone when we think we have found their lost animal.
Matchmaker
This position involves following up with potential adopters by phone and conducting an extensive interview to determine the appropriateness of the home and the best potential animal matches. It also includes coordinating any subsequent meetings between the potential adopters and our animals.
Newsletter
Assist with our quarterly newsletter by writing or researching articles or taking care of the mailing details. Help distribute the newsletter to pet shops, vet offices, etc.
Pet Fair Team
These volunteers attend dog shows, pet fairs and many other types of events in order to answer questions about our organization, pass out information, and BEST of all, show off our product.
Pound Crew
This team evaluates and selects the animals we rescue from the pound. They also transport them to our veterinary hospitals and boarding facilities.
Private Appointment Adoption Counselor
This position involves overseeing the face-to-face meeting coordinated by a Matchmaker between a screened potential adopter and one of our animals. It includes making the final assessment as to the quality and appropriateness of the animal match and finalizing the adoption paperwork.
Public Relations/Special Events
Assist with projects and special events throughout the year. Various tasks, including typing, filing, photocopying, telephone calls, press releases, photo sessions, events coordination, local errands, writing.
Rub-a-dub-Doggie: Bathing and Grooming
Position Purpose: Volunteers bathe and groom animals that come in poor condition. Grooming improves the confidence of the animals and makes them more presentable to the public, thereby increasing their chances for adoption.
Quarantine Foster Homes
Some dogs from shelters have been exposed to "kennel cough." (This is no fault of the shelter, just a by-product of overcrowding.) Kennel cough is not contagious to humans, but even pets that have been given Bordatella inoculation are vulnerable. We're looking for people who don't have any animals, and who can foster these dogs for a minimum of two weeks (the incubation period for kennel cough).
Spay/Neuter Program Education
Sit at mobile booths to present information on our spay/neuter program.
Special Events
Set up, work at, and clean up during fundraising events.
Transportation
We currently have an immediate need for volunteers who are available on weekday mornings or afternoons and who live close by to accompany dogs to vet appointments. Drives may be spur of the moment and may often involve transporting a dog to its new home. This may involve a little fur in your car!!
Veterinarian
Volunteer veterinarian for visits.
Walking and Exercise
The dogs do enjoy walks. We welcome volunteers to come walk dogs.
Web Page Photographer
In order to maintain a current website with up-to-date information and photos of our shelter animals a volunteer photographer is needed. This volunteer opportunity requires a commitment of a few scheduled hours per week and would work best for a team of two volunteers. One person is needed to pose the animal and one to take the picture. Computer experience helpful. Equipment is provided. Contact the shelter.
Yard Sale Proceeds
For those of you who want to get involved but live too far away, perhaps you could hold a yard sale and advertise that the proceeds are going to Brazos Valley Doberman Rescue. Not only would this help raise money for animal care, but it would help get more recognition for us.