Volunteer at Father John's Animal House
Thank you for thinking about joining the Father John's team as a volunteer!
Helping care for neglected and homeless animals is a huge responsibility and we couldn’t do it if it was not for the generosity and dedication of people just like you!
Please know that we have halted onboarding new volunteers until November, 2026. We will keep your application on file and you will be notified of orientation dates.
At the bottom of this page you will find information on all of the different roles volunteers can fill here at Father John's. Remember, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
HERE ARE THE STEPS TO VOLUNTEER:
1.) Carefully consider your ability to donate your time. Being a committed volunteer that is reliable and dependable is a must. Review our criteria below to ensure you are eligible to volunteer.
2.) Complete and submit the form below.
3.) Keep an eye on your phone and email as we will reach out and schedule an orientation. Orientation/trainings are typically scheduled at the end of every month.
4.) Attend an orientation/training. These sessions typically take about an hour. You'll get trained in ONE area of your choosing to start, and can be trained in additional areas in the future if you'd like.
5.) Schedule your first day in as a volunteer!
PLEASE NOTE: While we value everyone that desires to volunteer their time for us, please understand not everyone might be able to have the opportunity. We are NOT able to accept anyone seeking to complete court-mandated community service. However, community service requirements for school can and will be accepted.
Whether your availability falls outside shelter hours, you don't have the time, or you live too far away to make a regular commitment, there's still ways for you to help support us! Consider becoming a member today or becoming a Father John's Animal Advocate! Children who are too young to volunteer can also help by hosting a supply drive (view our donation list here) - please email ariana@fatherjohns.org to schedule a time to drop off and get a brief tour of the facility!
Volunteer Opportunities
Kennel Cleaners
This job requires volunteers to help assist with the morning cleaning duties for our dog kennels. This job will require you to be able to stand and bend for 2+ hours, pay close attention to the cleanliness of the environment, work with potentially hazardous disinfectants, and be directly exposed to the animals. It is a dirty job but one that is definitely needed to help keep the animals in our care healthy - some say being a kennel cleaner is like having a free gym membership! Cleaning is done from 8:30 am until completed.
Dog Walkers
Regular mental and physical stimulation and exercise of our dogs is needed for their health and wellness. This position will require volunteers to pay close attention to their environment at all times, stand, bend, and walk for 2+ hours, have the ability to lift 25+ lbs, be able to follow explicit staff instructions on proper handling, and have the ability to withstand all types of weather. We walk the dogs daily whether in rain, snow, or sunshine. Please dress appropriately! Dog walking is permitted each day after 10 am.
Cat Cleaners
These volunteers will be helping our staff and other volunteers clean the cat enclosures to help keep them healthy. This is a labor intensive job that will require you to stand and bend for 2+ hours, have the ability to lift up to 25 lbs, work with potentially hazardous disinfectants, and be directly exposed to the cats. Volunteers fulfilling this position should also have a calm demeanor as cleaning the enclosures can sometimes be stressful for the cats. Staff are always available for assistance if ever necessary. Cleaning is done from 8:30 am until completed.
Cat Socializers
Volunteers socializing our cats play a vital role in the well being and friendliness of the cats in our care. This position requires that you have patience, a calm, quiet demeanor, and the ability and willingness to follow explicit instructions from our staff and more experienced volunteers. All cats will need to be socialized in different ways and we will be happy to show you how this is done for each of them to ensure yours and their safety.
Foster Cats / Kittens
This role is vital to help us care for the dozens of homeless, motherless kittens that come to us each year. Sign up to be a bottle feeder to help the tiniest of kittens, or you can foster kittens who are a little older and need socialization. Maybe you’re even that special person with a big heart who would be able to help socialize older cats! This volunteer position involves bringing the cat or kittens into your home, keeping them isolated from your own pets, and helping them grow. We provide food, medical care and supplies, you provide the love! Please also fill out our foster form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-9flhjmlQy0mroBCRV6pzU3jT6Fd7WCMFp9xhJorryavc8g/viewform
Lean on Leon Program
This is a new program that strives to assist those in need within our community. Volunteers are needed in two capacities - one is to reorganize the food and other items into smaller batches. The other is to actually distribute the food, generally one to two Wednesdays per month.
Surgery Prep
Volunteers are needed to help our med team prepare for surgeries. These volunteers will need to complete a separate application and will undergo training from our animal care manager and med lead. Volunteers may help clean equipment, wrap packs, prep e-collars, and more.
Assist with Events / Supply Drives / Donation Solicitation
This job requires our volunteers to be friendly and outgoing as they will be engaged with our constituents and donors face to face. It is important that these volunteers are knowledgeable about our mission here at Father John’s to be as effective as possible as a representative for our organization. Volunteers going to offsite events must be active volunteers within our shelter first in order to help prepare for interacting with our supporters. Usually this position will require you to sit for 3+ hours and load / unload donations to and from our shelter van or your own vehicle. These volunteers must also comply with all regulations defined by the organization that is hosting us for these events.
Grounds Maintenance / Gardening
Occasionally our caretaker Leon will need assistance with grounds maintenance - this includes weed whacking and mowing in the spring/summer, plowing and salting in the winter, and more. Volunteers are also needed for the days, generally in spring, when we work on the gardens.
Assist with Fundraising Dinner / Pet Lovers Fest
Our Fundraising Dinner (September) and Pet Lovers Fest (May) are two incredibly important events, as they help us raise money to help care for the animals at the shelter. Volunteers are needed for both events to help set up and break down, solicit donations, to man different stations, and more.
Reception Duties
This responsibility will require volunteers to have excellent customer service skills, strong attention to detail, and must be organized. Volunteers assisting with reception duties will be responsible for recording voice messages, transferring and assigning messages and emails to their respective departments, making copies of adoption paperwork, creating animal charts, answering general emails and providing information to the general public about shelter services.
*Other volunteer opportunities include general housekeeping duties such as washing dishes, laundry, sweeping and mopping, organizing donations, filing paperwork, taking pictures and videos of the animals, transporting animals to and from vet appointments, stuffing envelopes, and general landscaping responsibilities.
All volunteers should be aware that there is always a risk of injury when involved with the direct care of the animals. Accident prevention is everyone’s responsibility so please ensure you are abiding by all safety protocols outlined in the volunteer handbook you are given at the time of your training.