Volunteering at our animal shelter provides a valuable utilization of your time and talent. Our shelter pets appreciate your affection and attention. Socializations the shelter residents experience with people will help them become more trusting and attuned to humans. After suffering traumas in their lives, they each deserve to be the recipients of gentle interactions with compassionate caregivers. Practicing walking politely on leash and internalizing a few simple commands can make a dog or pup more appealing to a potential owner. Being hugged and cherished allows feline personalities to blossom. We hope you will consider working with AWL to be meaningful and enjoyable. When the new shelter building is completed, we will have extended possibilities that may interest you. Please read the following information. I will contact volunteer applicants regarding an orientation meeting in the near future.

Click here to download a volunteer application.

Be a friend to our shelter animals…
Do you or someone you know have an hour or two each week that you are willing to dedicate on a regular basis to the Animal Welfare League’s shelter? We may have something that would interest you and benefit our animals.
We are always expanding our volunteer opportunities. Here are a few samples:

Evacuation Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed to commit in an event of an evacuation. You would need to be willing to foster an animal for up to 7 days.

Foster Homes Desperately Needed
Numerous orphaned babies and mothers with nursing pups and kittens arrive at the shelter. Often injured, weak, ill, or frightened animals need gentle attention and love in the quiet comfort of a foster family’s home until they are ready to return to the shelter for adoption.

Between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM Monday -- Thursday, we need drivers to transport our animals scheduled for surgery at local veterinarians' offices.

Our shelter pets always welcome dog walkers and cat cuddlers.
Miscellaneous tasks:
Perhaps you would enjoy
• helping with preparing and labeling newsletter mailings,
• working on fundraiser project committees,
• assisting staff at AWL outreach visits when our animals are invited to meet the public, • Assisting kennel supervisors as requested.*
*Sample of volunteer activities that need to be done between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM: bathing, feeding, cage cleaning and laundry.
If any of these prospects interest you, your help will be greatly appreciated and beneficial to the animals.
Each and every volunteer’s service is important to AWL’s ability to care for orphaned animals and share our program with the public. The joy and affection you will receive in the form of wags and purrs are some of the indescribable rewards you will cherish as an AWL volunteer.
Please contact the shelter at 941-625-6720 to discuss details if you are interested in becoming a volunteer or a foster parent.