Volunteer with the ASPCA
The ASPCA’s volunteer program is vital to our operation, and our volunteers are making an impact in many areas. Today, volunteers assist in the care and placement of the animals housed in our shelter, educate the public and provide support for administrative programs.
General Guidelines
- All volunteer opportunities are in New York City. Individuals unable to volunteer in New York City should contact their local animal welfare organization. Visit our Shelter Database to find one near you now!
- Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older.
- Volunteers must be able to commit to a minimum of 8 hours/month for 6 months.
Steps to Becoming a Volunteer
1. Attend the ASPCA Volunteer Orientation. We currently have a special need for volunteers in our Pet Adoption Center. The Fall orientation schedule includes two types of classes: One session provides an overview of the ASPCA’s philosophy, services and volunteer activities, while the other is for people who are interested in becoming volunteer adoptions counselors.
Visit ASPCA.org/volunteer for class dates, availability and registration info.
ASPCA Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteer Adoptions Counselors
There’s only one thing better than seeing pets leave the shelter with their new families—helping to make it happen! If you enjoy working with people and would like to help secure loving homes for ASPCA shelter dogs and cats, consider becoming a Volunteer Adoptions Counselor! As an Adoptions Counselor, you’ll get to:
- Meet and greet potential adopters when they arrive at the ASPCA
- Answer questions and assist potential adopters in selecting a pet who fits into their lifestyle
- Interact with people and animals
- Oversee “meets” between adopters and available animals.
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Administrative Assistance
Role: Provide administrative support to the ASPCA’s administrative programs
Major Responsibilities: Data entry; packet assembly; mailings; required to use Microsoft Access or Excel (no experience necessary)
Age Requirement: 16 or older
Animal Care Technician
Role: Assist the hospital staff by providing direct care and maintenance of hospital area and feeding and general husbandry of hospitalized animals
Major Responsibilities: Compassionate nursing care is the top priority for all animals; keep kennels clean, orderly and free of odor; ensure exam rooms and kennels are clean, orderly and ready for use; feed and water animals as needed; exercise/socialize animals; take inventory and stock as needed; hospital laundry
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Cat Volunteer (On and Off-Site)
Role: Provide socialization for the shelter cats
Major Responsibilities: Moving cats in and out of their cages; interacting with the cats in the spaces designated for socialization; assistASPCA staff/ volunteers working with potential adopters
Age Requirement: 16 or older
Children’s Bibliography Reviewer
Role: Help keep our online bibliography database up-to-date and comprehensive
Major Responsibilities: Read 45 children’s books and write a short review of each book
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Dog Volunteer (On and Off-Site)
Role: Provide exercise, socialization, and basic training for the shelter dogs
Major Responsibilities: Moving dogs in and out of their cages; walking a dog outdoors for exercise using appropriate equipment; teaching basic obedience; cleaning up after the dogs while outside of their cages
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Foster Caretaker
Role: Provide temporary housing and care for shelter animals that are sick, injured or juvenile
Major Responsibilities: Provide a safe and clean environment for the foster animals; provide food, water, exercise, and proper socialization for the foster animals; dispense medication as necessary; follow all instructions given by ASPCA staff; foster the animal(s) until they are ready for adoption; return the animal to the ASPCA for adoption
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Humane Educator
Role: Teach Humane Education classes and staff community outreach tables throughout the New York City area.
Major Responsibilities: Staff the ASPCA table at education and community outreach events; present education programs to students and/or adults in schools, after school programs, and other events
Age Requirement:21 or older
Mobile Clinic Assistant
Role: Assist the public on the ASPCA’s Mobile Clinic
Major Responsibilities: Assist veterinary assistants and greeters with intake and paperwork; customer service; translation services for staff and clients; assist with client processing to reduce wait time
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Public Relations Assistant
Role: To publicize the ASPCA Cares spay/neuter clinic program
Major Responsibilities: Community relations; scouting out potential clinic locations; outreach viaflyers, mailings, and phone calls; on-line research; attending outreach meetings
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Veterinary Assistant
Role: Assist the Animal Placement medical staff with the veterinary care of the shelter animals
Major Responsibilities: Retrieve dogs and cats from various locations throughout the ASPCA; restrain animals during examinations and procedures (not expected to handle potentially dangerous animals); cleaning and basic housekeeping
Age Requirement: 18 or older
Workplace Giving Event Volunteer
Role: Staff tables at charity fairs throughout New York City
Major Responsibilities: Must attend at least 5 events; set up tables and hand out brochures and miscellaneous information about the ASPCA at charity fairs throughout New York City; answer general questions about ASPCA programs and services; clear away materials after the event
Age Requirements: 18 or older
* Please note, not all volunteer positions are available at all times.
Fostering a Companion Animal
The ASPCA Foster Care Program allows Animal Placement to better prepare animals for adoption into permanent homes. Foster care volunteers receive food, supplies and/or medication to rehabilitate animals who need medical and/or behavioral therapy, or are still too young to be adopted. These animals are cared for in the volunteer's home until they are ready to be placed into the adoption program.
Steps to Fostering
1. Foster care volunteers are just that—volunteers. You’ll first need to become an ASPCA volunteer and move on to fostering.
2. An interview with an ASPCA employee that will be short, sweet and informative.
3. You'll need to take three easy classes: Cat Behavior, Dog Behavior and Dog Walking. These classes will take less than a business day.
Helpful Facts
- Before becoming a foster caretaker, all potential animal candidates are reviewed by ASPCA veterinarians and behavior counselors. Foster candidates are usually mothers with newborn litters, young kittens, puppies and recovering sick or injured animals.
- To help you get started, the ASPCA provides a volunteer orientation program and additional training classes on foster care.
- The ASPCA provides foster parents with all medical care, necessary equipment and food for their foster animals.