Happy Cats Haven is building a fun, innovative and organized volunteer program to take care of our homeless cats and kittens. Our volunteers are the soul of our organization and the cats depend on us to make their stay here as healthy and happy as possible. Volunteers work 365 days a year and are extremely dedicated. We ask for a minimum commitment, but we are very flexible and can accommodate most schedules.
Please click here for our Volunteer Application.
To volunteer at Happy Cats Haven, you must:
- Be eighteen (18) years of age or older (teens 12-17 can volunteer with parental supervision…or help us from home)
- Be able to commit to 8 hours of service per month
- Be able to commit to scheduled volunteer times
- Be able to squat, bend, twist, lift and stand for long periods while working directly with the cats
- Attend required training classes
- Be able to work independently with limited supervision (after training)
HCH Volunteer Positions:
- Direct Cat Care: socializing, cleaning colonies, adoption counseling, play therapy, clicker training, etc.
- Office Admin Support: phone & email support, mailings, cat followups, etc.
- Medical Support: must have previous experience or currently attending vet tech school
- Fostering: providing shelter, care & socializing for cats or kittens who need it. See our Feline Fosters program for an application.
- Transportation: taking cats/kittens to vet appts and/or to adoption fairs & events
- Shelter Outreach: fundraising events, adoption fairs, marketing, social media, etc.
- TNR assistance: care for outside cats by becoming a Colony Manager or by training others; help trap cats for surgeries or train others for trapping; help distribute food to needy families
- Grantwriting: help research and write grants for funding
- Donor Support: help nurture our donors through written, online & telephone connections
- Hands-on: sewing/crafts, building maintenance, carpentry, etc.
- Teen Cat Corps: volunteer with parental/guardian supervision for socializing and/or play or clicker therapy
Expectations of HCH volunteers:
- It is vitally important that volunteers show up for their shifts. The cats and kittens are depending on you.
- While volunteers come to HCH because they love cats, HCH volunteers must also be able to work well with other people and present the cats well too.
- For everyone’s protection, volunteers must use the safe cat handling techniques taught in the required training.
- All tasks have specific procedures. Volunteers should adhere to these procedures unless a staff member directs them otherwise. If you have suggestions for improving any procedure, please feel free to discuss them with the Volunteer Coordinator.
- Once volunteers know their work routines, they are expected to work with minimal supervision. Following through on tasts ensures the cats are receiving the best possible care. The Volunteer Coordinator is always available to answer questions.
Getting started as a volunteer:
- Submit the Volunteer Application to office@happycatshaven.org. The Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch with you.
- Attend an orientation scheduled by the Volunteer Coordinator. You will learn about the volunteer positions available at HCH and our policies. We will try to match your preferences with our volunteer needs.
- Attend a training session. Once you have chosen a volunteer position, the Volunteer Coordinator will work with you to schedule this.
- Make a commitment. A 2 hour per week, 3 month commitment is suggested for most volunteer positions, but there are also some flexible options.