Volunteer
Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering with us!! We have completely re-vamped our volunteer program, so it may be a bit different from what you expected. The new program ensures that all volunteers are properly trained and increases the overall safety for our pets and people!
For volunteers under the age of 10, please visit our Junior Volunteer page for more information! Our general volunteer program is for ages 10 and over. All volunteers between 10 and 15 years old must volunteer with a parent or guardian over 21 years old. Volunteers 16 and over may volunteer on their own.
The first step towards volunteering is taking our General Orientation!
Things we go over in our General Orientation:
-
Getting you familiar with our organization and who we are.
-
How things work here at the Rescue.
-
General safety rules.
-
Brief information on dog and cat orientations.
-
Overview of next steps on volunteering.
General Orientation - Read Directions Carefully!
Please click the "Buy Now" button below and select the number of volunteers that will be watching the orientation. Once payment is complete, click "Return to Merchant Site" and it will bring up the orientation video. This $5 donation helps support our volunteer program and includes your badge and whistle!
**Please allow 30 minutes for the general orientation. Once you start the videos you will not be able to close the tab and start off where you were, they have to be watched in one sitting. You are able to pause them as long as you don’t close the window!**
Please note that there may be a long wait until your tour - we add tour dates the first Friday of the month for the following month's tour. Be sure to check back then, they fill up quickly!
Please do not submit these ahead of your tour date.
Bring them with you on the day of your tour (after orientation is completed).
Download Volunteer Waiver
Download Minor Release Form (volunteers under the age of 18)
Parent or Guardian MUST sign the release in the presence of a PCAR Representative. NO EXCEPTIONS.
We are always looking for new volunteers!
Volunteers help with:
- Walking Dogs
- Socializing Cats
- Cleaning
- Adoption Greeters
- Events
- Property Maintenance
- Fundraising
- Much More!
Steps to Becoming a Volunteer:
-
Donate $5 for your badge and whistle.
-
Take the General Orientation.
-
Sign up for a tour. Please arrive before your tour is scheduled to begin. TOURS START AT SCHEDULED TIME AND YOU CANNOT JOIN AFTER THE TOUR HAS BEGUN.
-
Complete 3 Rescue Assisting Hours (RAHs).
-
Take the online dog walking orientation (if you want to work with the dogs) and pass the quiz.
-
Take the online cat orientation (if you want to work with the cats) and pass the quiz.
-
Work with a mentor (dog walking only).
We are making efforts to streamline the volunteer process. Therefore, effective immediately you will need to volunteer a minimum of once per month in order to remain an active volunteer. If you haven't signed in for a month, you will need to redo the entire volunteer orientation process. Thank you for your understanding and for being part of our volunteer team!
If you're looking for something more short term, click here!
Questions about volunteering?
Email: volunteer@pawscrossedny.org
Short Term Opportunities
If you're working with a tighter timeline than our general volunteer program allows for or are looking for short-term opportunities, we highly recommend participating in one of our impactful offsite volunteer options instead.
These activities include hosting or supporting:
-
Donation drives (pet food, supplies, etc.)
-
Fundraisers
-
Car washes
-
Bake sales or lemonade stands
-
Any other creative initiative to help raise awareness or support for the Rescue
These offsite events are a vital part of our mission and make a real difference for the pets in our care. We’re more than happy to provide volunteer credit for the hours you dedicate to these efforts.
If you'd like to set up any other creative events to help raise awareness or support for our Rescue, feel free to reach out—we’d love to help you plan and ensure your work is counted and acknowledged!