Volunteer FAQ

How old do I have to be to volunteer?

You must be 18 or older to be a regular volunteer and volunteer by yourself. Any volunteer under the age of 18 must be with an adult at all times. We welcome children, ages 6 and up, to volunteer, as long as they are accompanied at all times by a parent/guardian. If you are a parent/child team interested in volunteering, we request that each of you fill out an application form.

I have a busy schedule. When are volunteers able to come in?

We have volunteer opportunities every day of the week and our Volunteer Coordinator will work with your schedule to find an opportunity that matches your skill set and availability!

What are the volunteer hours?

• Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday 8am– 5pm
• Thursday 8am – 7pm
• Saturday 8am – 3pm
• Sunday 8am – 12pm

I sent in my application. When can I start volunteering?

We must receive your completed volunteer application before you can attend an orientation. Once submitted, your application will be reviewed. You will be contacted to let you know whether or not you have been approved. If approved you will be invited to the next orientation. Attending an orientation is mandatory for regular volunteers.

I need to do court appointed community service. What do you have available?

We can no longer accept volunteers that are seeking court appointed community service hours.

Can I get volunteer credit for my high school or college? Do I need to attend an orientation?

Yes, we can provide service hours on a case-by-case basis performing various tasks. You do not need to attend an orientation to volunteer for just a few hours.

These volunteer tasks are not hands on with the animals and typically involve cleaning, office work, etc. If your school has a program, we can sign off on the appropriate documentation provided by the volunteer after the community service has been completed.

Please Note: We request a minimum of 6 weeks notice for school credit, as our program schedule fills up quickly. We will do our best to accommodate your request for hours, but cannot guarantee availability. For more information, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Maria Mott at 814-835-8331 or maria@eriehumanesociety.org.

I’ve heard once you start volunteering you have to pay? What is the fee for?

We greatly appreciate the time, energy and knowledge that volunteers share with our pets and our guests.

We do have a one-time $5 fee that is due at your first scheduled volunteer shift that helps the Humane Society offset some of the costs of running our Volunteer Program and provide you with more resources to use while volunteering. It includes your volunteer t-shirt, name badge, and training materials.

The fee applies to regular adult volunteers who have attended orientation. If junior volunteers would like a t-shirt, they can pay the fee, but it is not required. Group and one-time volunteers are not required to pay this fee.