Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Orientation

Volunteer Meetings

Volunteer meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of every month at King's Restaurant on Route 19 at 7:00 p.m. They discuss volunteering, fundraising, upcoming events, etc.at the meetings.

We truly need dedicated volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, mail or bring in your completed application and you will be contacted.

Download Volunteer Form

Volunteers needed for upcoming off-site events and regularly scheduled offsites at Petco Trinty Square, Washington, PA. Please contact Alice
at 724-222-7387 x406 or wahsoffsites@gmail.com if you can spare a few hours.

	Volunteer Orientation Schedule
	To get started as a volunteer please complete a volunteer application and attend one of the upcoming Volunteer Orientations. These orientations take place at the shelter’s pavilion every 2nd and 4th Saturday at 11 AM (2nd Saturday of the month during November and December 2011). Please allow up to 2 hours for the completion of the orientation and tour of the shelter. See the list of dates to the right for all scheduled volunteer orientations. These orientations provide a detailed overview of all volunteer activities and hands-on training necessary for specific tasks such as dog walking [click here for best practices]. Wear practical shoes (no open toed sandals) and dress appropriately since the orientations take place outside. Reservations are required to attend the volunteer orientations. For reservations call Alice at 724-222-7387 ext. 406. Should you have any questions regarding the upcoming volunteer orientations, contact Gary Malaskovitz at 724-206-0548.		August 28, 2010 September 11, 2010 September 25, 2010 October 9, 2010 October 23, 2010 November 13, 2010 December 11, 2010 January 8, 2011 January 22, 2011 February 12, 2011 February 26, 2011 March 12, 2011 March 26, 2011 April 9, 2011 April 23, 2011 May 14, 2011 May 28, 2011 June 11, 2011 June 25, 2011 July 9, 2011 July 23, 2011 August 13, 2011 August 27, 2011 September 10, 2011 September 24, 2011 October 8, 2011 October 22, 2011 November 12, 2011 December 10, 2011

	It is critical that all Dog Walkers familiarize themselves with all the rules, restrictions and Best Practices of WAHS.

	Can't Get the the Shelter to Log Volunteer Hours?
	Download a timesheet to track your volunteer hours. Mail them in or bring them in next time you get to the shelter.

We Need Dedicated Volunteers for the Following Tasks [click here for PDF]

	Shelter Activities	Cat Areas	Major Fundraisers
	• Walking Dogs • Adoption Counseling: Helping the public choose a pet and follow up phone calls after the adoption. • Help with our semi-annual Rabies Clinics.	• Helping with adoptions • Grooming • Cleaning up after the cats • Help with cats at PetSmart and Petco. If you can help with cats at either offsite location, please contact Natalie at 724-986-8903.	• Plan, organize, request donations and • Staff our fundraising events including:Cash Bash / Vegas Nite & Dances, Bingos, The Washington County Fair, etc.
	Pet Therapy	Poco Banks	Fostering Animals
	• Visitations with our pets to local nursing homes.	• Requesting donations in our yellow dog "Poco" banks. Placing and retrieving banks at various locations.	• Fostering, in your home, abused animals, new mothers and their litters or animals recovering from surgery.
	Vet Care Volunteers	Special Skills	Groomers
	• Professional active or retired veterinarians, vet techs and anyone with veterinary care experience.	• Licensed Electrician • Rough Carpenter • Grasscutters/Landscapers • General Handyman • Plumber • Hauler for aluminum cans • Fundraisers • Public Relations Person	• Volunteers who will bathe and groom, polish up and pamper dogs to make them more comfortable and attractive for adoption.

	Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age to work with any of the animals at WAHS. Volunteers who are between 18 and 21 years of age are permitted to work with the animals if they have a signed and notarized parental release form. Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times during volunteer activities.

Volunteer Meetings 2010:
September 28
October 26
November 23
December 28

Cancellations due to inclement weather will be posted on website home page by 6pm

[Download Volunteer
Planning Guidelines]

Can You Foster a Dog or Cat?

The need for foster "parents" to homeless animals is enormous at the shelter. There are pregnant dogs and cats who need to deliver their litters in safety and comfort; and the offspring needs to stay with the mother till they are weaned. There are frightened, emaciated animals who have never known the warmth of a home or the love of a human. There are injured or ill animals who need convalescence. There are old animals who need to spend the short time that they have left somewhere other than in a metal and concrete cage. And there are animals whose fate remains murky during drawn out court proceedings who lie listless and depressed for countless weeks, months and even years.

We see all of these situations and more at the Washington Area Humane Society. Foster homes give animals a huge advantage by providing a nurturing environment where they can be socialized, overcome health and behavioral problems and avoid the stress of the kennels.

If you can help for a few days, a few weeks or a longer period, we implore you to sign up as a foster parent.

For more information on fostering, please call the shelter at 724-222-7387.

[Download Foster Program Document]

[Download Foster Parent Application]

Kuranda Bed Offer

All volunteers and staff members of WAHS are entitled to purchase Kuranda beds at a discount. To avail yourself of this offer, place your order from the Order a Kuranda cat or dog bed here. Then call the shelter an let them know that you placed an order. It will be shipped to the shelter and you can pick it up there.