Thanks for coming
to volunteer!
I love hugs!
Want to play?
Get me outta this cage!

Volunteer Positions!

The Sauk County Humane Society uses volunteers in many positions, including lots of direct animal care that make Shelter animals smile!
We also use volunteers for all sorts of work that helps the animals indirectly – both at the Shelter and off site.
Read about the various positions below. Most of the jobs require some training, but we have staff or volunteers willing and able to train you. Meeting our other volunteers is half the fun, for we have a wonderful group helping at SCHS!
All volunteers must fill out and sign our Volunteer Application
(Click here for the Volunteer Application.)


Doing laundry!
Splish-Splash:
We give this job a cute name, but it’s the most basic work at the Shelter: cleaning! This volunteer helps wash and dry litter pans and food dishes. S/he helps do laundry, and some even help clean kennels. Hours are usually 8:30 to 11 a.m.
Committing to a specific schedule helps the staff. Brief training is required.
Splish-Splash isn’t glamorous work, but it’s vital for keeping the animals healthy and the Shelter looking good.
Jim K. washing up!

John S. with a friend!
Canine Cruisers:
Love dogs, and have some experience with them? Become one of our elite crew of Canine Cruisers!
We used to rely on volunteers to hand-walk dogs, one by one, around our grounds. For certain dogs, we still do that – especially if the dog needs training or one-on-one time with a person, or has health issues.
But thanks to a major donor, we now have a Dog Exercise yard.
This large fenced area requires volunteers to do “playground duty.”
Two dogs (that get along) can be out in this yard together. The volunteer watches the dogs play, and can do brushing or handling.
Volunteers must be willing to clean up after the dogs. Keeping our grounds clean helps prevent the spread of disease.
This is a wonderful job to do with a friend! Training is required, and scheduling helps prevent doubling up.
Kay B. does water play!

Meredith S. with a friend.
Cat Cuddlers:
Love cats? Cuddlers come to the Shelter and take cats out from their cages into our special “cat cuddling room”. The room has toys, climbing equipment, and an easy chair for “lap time”.
Cat Cuddlers play with the cats, brush them, socialize them, and record information about each cat’s personalities and preferences so prospective adopters can read about each cat.
Cat Cuddling is easy and fun... and the cats are always grateful. Well, almost always grateful – but isn’t that attitude the reason we love cats?!?


Bruce W. with lucky cat!
 
Foster Homes:
This position is on an as-needed basis. Foster parent applications must be filled out and approved prior to fostering. Fostering involves opening up your home for a brief time to dogs, puppies, cats and/or kittens.
When does the Shelter need foster homes? Sometimes the Shelter is too full, and needs places for the over-flow. Sometimes the Shelter gets an animal that needs special care, like a mama cat with a litter of kittens, a dog with puppies, or an animal that requires a quiet environment to recuperate.
Fostering can be a wonderful way to let your family enjoy caring for animals over a brief time – without the long-term commitment. It can be a great way to help an animal who has behavior issues and needs training to become more adoptable.
Click here for the Foster Parent form.


Dyan O. with puppies!

Rachel B. files!
Office Helpers:
We need help greeting prospective adopters, typing, filing, and other projects – like designing bulletin boards, etc – as needed.
Anna M.'s bulletin board project
 
Pet Porters:
Pet Porters help transport animals, who are always crated, to and from the vet clinics, other Shelters, to Madison’s MATC, to rescue groups, and to misc. other destinations. Want to help the Shelter save gas money and wear/tear on our van? Get on our list for transport. We would appreciate it greatly!


Pet Taxi!

Ladies “manning” Registration table!


Shelter mascot!
Event help and Misc. Fundraising:
The Sauk County Humane Society receives less than half its annual budget from our contract with the County (to do the initial pick up and housing of strays in the area.) The rest of our budget must be raised through events, memberships, donations, etc.
We need volunteers to:
  • Publicize SCHS events by putting up posters, etc. This requires a vehicle.
  • Staff SCHS events like “Paws for a Cause” and our Holiday Open House. Help staff members set up for the event, tear down after the event, run games, sell raffle tickets, and much more. It’s a great way to help – and a lot of fun!
  • Staff booths and tables at public events like Baraboo’s Fair on the Square, etc. As SCHS becomes more well-known, we get asked to come to more events. Often, we take a few animals, and always we take lots of literature, donation boxes, and sometimes other things to sell.
    We need volunteers who like the public, can handle a busy booth/table, and are willing to “sell” the SCHS to the public. This public work is important, for it gives much of the public its first impression of SCHS. We really need volunteers to help with these events!
  • Bake food items to sell at both our events and for public events. You would be surprised how much money we make selling baked goods! It is also a great way to draw people to our booth! Like to bake? Know others who do? Coordinate getting baked goods to us the day before, or the day of, these events.
  • Wear the SCHS cat and dog “mascot” costumes. We now have very cute “mascot” costumes for the Shelter. We need volunteers willing to wear these costumes in parades, or during SCHS events. Enjoy hamming it up when no one will know it’s you?!? Volunteer for this job! It’s a riot of fun, and works like a charm. People see the mascots, and turn into the Shelter!
Ellen W. helping out!

Tina & Alexa as Day Camp counselors
Education & Outreach Work:
Our E & O Coordinator, Eleanor Chiquoine, goes out to the schools to give presentations. She is in the classroom, often with some pets along. Having a volunteer along can be helpful.
Also, Ms. Chiquoine runs Summer Day Camps at the Shelter. These camp sessions are fast-paced and fun, but require a lot of volunteer help, for making snacks, to driving on field trips, to helping with art projects.
Like children? Consider volunteering in this area!
Eleanor Chiquoine teaches a class about animal language.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl

created by E. Chiquoine, updated 3/1/07