Thank you for your interest! We are not currently in need of additional onsite youth volunteers (those under 18 years) and do not anticipate opening any youth opportunities in the near future.
**SPECIAL UPDATE** Due to an outpouring of generosity from our community, we have reached our storage capacity for rice-warmies and fleece blankets at this time. Thank you to our neighbors who have helped to make sure our animals continue to be cared for – we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts! Check out our 12/16/24 fire incident page for more ways you can help.
Those under 18 can still contribute and earn service hours by fostering animals with their families.
Please find some commonly asked questions and answers below.
HOW OLD SHOULD I BE TO VOLUNTEER?
Students 13-17 years old are allowed to volunteer at HSSV for limited roles.
HOW MUCH TIME WILL BE REQUIRED?
The shift times vary based on the needs of the shelter. We ask students to come in for a recurring shift once a week or once every other week. Student Volunteers may be asked to commit to three months of volunteering.
WILL I BE OFFERED TRAINING? DO I NEED EXPERIENCE?
No experience is needed for most student volunteer roles at HSSV. All volunteers at HSSV are offered training for their role and also have a point of contact onsite in case questions arise while you are volunteering. All student roles at HSSV are defined in a written role-description and these will include information about the role and whether prior experience of any kind is required for applicants.
DO YOU OFFER BIRTHDAY PARTIES OR SCOUT WORKSHOPS?
HSSV is not able to provide birthday parties and scout workshops.
WHEN DOES HSSV RECRUIT FOR STUDENT ROLES?
We recruit based on the needs of the shelter and do not currently have any openings.
WHAT KIND OF ROLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS?
Students complete roles in many departments. Primarily though, our student volunteers help in our Animal Care and Enrichment department creating enrichment toys and tools for our animals. They also help us do laundry and wash dog and cat dishes.
HOW ELSE CAN I SUPPORT HSSV AND EARN SERVICE HOURS?
Please visit our foster page to learn more about fostering animals with us. While family members can be under 18 years of age, the primary foster volunteer must be at least 18.
**SPECIAL UPDATE** Due to an outpouring of generosity from our community, we have reached our storage capacity for rice-warmies and fleece blankets at this time. Thank you to our neighbors who have helped to make sure our animals continue to be cared for – we are grateful from the bottom of our hearts! Check out our 12/16/24 fire incident page for more ways you can help.
Testimonials
“My interest in animals has increased and I’m not nervous around cats anymore!” —Nallely N.
“I have had such an amazing experience. There’s so much I can share now, with my friends and family and I hope all the animals I have come to love at HSSV will find a loving home.” —Katrina S.
“Overall, everything I learned gave me more of an understanding of why pets do the things they do.” —Gabriella Z.