Volunteer
As a non-profit organization, our volunteers are our greatest asset. We have a mutual agreement in place that if you agree to help us to the best of your ability, you will be treated with respect and be an important part of our team.
VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
Volunteers under age of 18 will need written & signed permission to support events without parental supervision. Volunteers under age of 14 will need parental/guardian supervision while at events.
FOSTERS:
This position requires a longer term commitment. We request you foster the dog/puppies for a minimum of 2 weeks, but prefer until they are adopted. Puppies will be a two week commitment prior to going up for adoption to provide time to ensure they are not sick as well as have them vetted. (Spay/Neuter, micro chipped, vaccines). Then if not adopted, we would like you to take them home again if possible. Adult dogs tend to be a longer term commitment. If you are unable to keep your foster(s) for any reason we must be given a few days’ notice to find another foster.
EVENT ROLES
Event set up:
This includes setting up the event itself. There needs to be: a front table, fencing around the whole event, puppy pens with water/blankets/toys, adult kennels or pens (with profiles clipped to them), visiting pens, cleaning supplies, trash cans, and dirty laundry bags. Also there should be areas for interview conversations, as well as an area for processing adoptions.
Break Down/After Event Clean Up
Breakdown includes taking everything down after the event, sterilizing anything used and keeping supplies organized.
Table Manager
This position requires someone at the front table to answer questions of our guests visiting to meet their forever family member. This person gives direction & sets all event expectations up front to our guests. They will also make sure everyone has an application and proof of ownership/lease.
Interviewer
It is important for us to have an open honest conversation with all adopters. This can take place in the visiting pen, or at an outside station. We want to make sure they understand the responsibilities of bringing home a new dog, and are able to properly care for it and meet its needs. The application will be reviewed and questions will be asked about their answers. The interviewer will make notes that are helpful to the directors who will decide it the adoption is awarded.
Puppy Runner
This position rotates puppies as people visit with them. It is very important that we always avoid cross-contamination. Puppy runner must sanitize hands and visitation pens must be sterilized between litters.
Processing Adoptions
This person would assist at the adoption table to keep things running smoothly and quickly. This may entail: making copies of contracts, helping people properly fill out forms, getting everyone their bag of food and extras, running credit cards, etc.
OUTSIDE OF EVENT ROLES
Laundry:
Taking home laundry, toys and bowls after adoption events to be washed, bleached & brought back clean for the next adoption event
Intake
Dont mind getting your hands dirty? Help us at intake located in Lonetree at about 58th and I-25.
Jobs include: Walking, Potting dogs, choosing harness/collar, looking for signs of illness/parasites and medicating dogs. Photographing dogs and then loading them in kennels to bring to fosters. (This job includes lifting dogs and bags of food from 40-100lbs)
Transport Volunteer
Fosters are responsible for getting their dogs to and from vet appointments and adoption events, but sometimes this is hard for them to work in around their work and family schedules. If you are fairly flexible and dont mind driving, it would be a huge help to have someone shuttle the animals around.
Social media assistant
Pledges : People from all over the US watch the Roswell facebook page and will Pledge money to rescues to help save the dogs. Sometimes there are several posts for a specific dog, and pledges on each one, but the paypal link to honor the pledges is only on the main post. We are looking for a person or people to watch the various posts for dogs we take, and put our paypal link on each one and maybe a freedom picture or cute story from their foster homes.
Matchmaker : Follow some of the local animal and rehoming Facebook groups and suggest our rescue or even a specific dog on posts of people looking to adopt.
Provider of lunches for volunteers at adoption events
The rescue provides lunch for the volunteers and fosters every Saturday, and we are all getting a bit tired of pizza! We will pay for ingredients and supplies if you are able to deliver a meal to the adoption event. Looking for volunteers for 1 meal a month or more!
Note: If there is a service you think you can provide to the rescue, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator! We need help with many tasks such as printing, fundraising, gathering food donations, supply drives, etc.
RULES FOR VOLUNTEERING:
There are different age groups we allow in the rescue. If you are under 14, a parent must stay with you the entire time you are volunteering. If you are between 14-17 we prefer a parent to be present the first time you volunteer. After that, you may attend alone. Anyone under 18 does need a parent or guardian to sign their volunteer release form. And of course anyone over 18 can sign their own release and begin volunteering.
A volunteer release must be filled out and returned. All rules must be read and agreed to prior to volunteering
New volunteers will be assigned a buddy in the beginning so they can learn the ropes.
A volunteer should never take on an assignment they are uncomfortable with. We can provide training and/or a mentor as requested.
We expect our volunteers to act professionally when in public. We do not condone gossip or bad-mouthing other shelters or rescues - we are all in this together!
Suggested apparel is long pants, closed-toed shoes, volunteer shirt.
Any questions about roles, process, or dogs, and also any suggestions should be directed to the volunteer coordinator.
Volunteers are not to speak to the public about any medical treatments dogs are receiving, or where dogs came from. These questions should be directed to one of the directors
The Good Dog Rescue does reserve the right to terminate a volunteer if they are repeatedly acting in a manner that is unsafe or unprofessional.
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?
Fill out this form and Our Volunteer Coordinator will get back to you about getting started!