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 30,000 animals each year through our broad range of programs and services including: sheltering, adoption, low-cost 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.

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 about compassion and how to report animal abuse in our humane education program
• 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 Dog Program Manager Kathy Vellenga at 202-723-5730 (ext. 154) or KVellenga@washhumane.org if you are interested in fostering a dog.
  
  Please contact Cat Program Manager Alyson Burgess at 202-608-1356 (ext. 101) or ABurgess@washhumane.org if you are interested in fostering a cat.
  
  
• 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 National Capitol Area Spay & Neuter Center
• Training the animals in our care enrolled in our SIT Program behaviors that will help them to succeed in their new homes

If you are interested in joining our wonderful volunteer community, please contact the Volunteer Program Manager to sign up for a Volunteer Orientation (required for any WHS Volunteer): 202/723-5730 ext.149 or Volunteer@washhumane.org.