Volunteer
for the Washington Humane Society
The Washington Humane Society is a non-profit organization that helps thousand of the District’s homeless, abused, and neglected animals each year.
It is in thanks to our incredible volunteer work-force that we are able to provide comfort and care to more than 20,000 animals each year through our broad range of programs and services including: sheltering, adoption, spay and neuter, Humane Law Enforcement, lost and found, and humane education. As the only open-access shelters in Washington, DC no call for help goes unanswered, and no animal is ever turned away!
The Washington Humane Society offers a very wide range of volunteer opportunities, and new programs are being added all of the time. Volunteers are essential to our day-to-day operations, so please take a moment to look over a few of the highlighted opportunities below!
On any given day at WHS, volunteers are:
- Playing matchmaker by introducing animals to their new potential adopters in our two shelters
- Helping to socialize shy animals by spending time with them, and taking them for walks
- Teaching elementary school children how to treat animals and how to report animal abuse
- Bringing home a new foster dog or cat and providing a nurturing environment for that animal to learn in before being adopted into a permanent home. Please contact Foster Coordinator, Kate Zapf, 202-541-6358, Kzapf@washhumane.org if interested
- Working at one of our many special fundraising events: Fashion for Paws, Sugar & Champagne Affair, Bark Ball, Walk for the Animals, etc
- Handling adoptable dogs at our Saturday and Sunday adoption events held on the Mobile Adoption Center at different locations throughout the DC Metro area
- Aiding our efforts to spread the word on how to help the District's homeless, abused and neglected animals
- Helping with the CatNiPP program
- Assisting our veterinary medical staff at our low-cost Spay &
Neuter Center
To find out what specific opportunities we have that fit your needs, please feel free to click on the "SEARCH" button below and look around.
If you are interested in joining our wonderful volunteer community, please just follow three simple steps:
- CONTACT the Volunteer Program Manager, Eleanor Blackford,
to sign-up for an orientation (required for any WHS volunteer).
202-723-5730 (ext. 208) e-mail: Eblackford@washhumane.org
- While you are waiting to attend your orientation, REGISTER
in our online volunteer database (link below). This will keep you up
to date on all of our volunteer activities and allow you to sig- up
in advance for the opportunities you are interested in.
- JUMP right in! Once you’ve attended your orientation, you will be placed with the perfect opportunities for you, so its just a matter of getting started.
Remember, just three simple steps: CONTACT, REGISTER, and JUMP! We’re looking forward to seeing you soon.