Volunteering in 2021 FAQs
We sat down with our Volunteer Manager, Ariana Howell, who answers the most frequently asked questions we’ve received about volunteering over the past month. Because we recently reopened our dog walking program to new volunteers, we have received lots of inquiries and want to make sure everyone gets all the information they need! Read on to find out what we’re doing to ensure the safety of our community during COVID-19, as well as what opportunities we currently have available!
How do I apply to volunteer at Wags & Walks?
We recently opened a new volunteer application on our website! Please fill out the application and you’ll hear back from us either via text or email within a few weeks. Please keep in mind that because we were closed to new volunteers for almost all of 2020, we have a very long backlog of interested volunteers, so it may take some time to hear back. Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding!
I submitted my application but haven’t heard back.
Right now we can only onboard 6 new volunteers per week and are currently backlogged through mid-March. Many qualified applicants have submitted applications in the past few weeks and we are continuing to sort through them. If you haven’t heard from us, your application is either in the cue or your application has not yet been approved. We are currently prioritizing applications with persuasive responses and those that exhibit strong handling skills or prior dog-walking experience.
I want to volunteer but I’m nervous about safety protocols around COVID-19. What are you doing to ensure the safety of volunteers?
Great question! In order to ensure the safety of everyone in our community, we are taking the following measures:
We are limiting the amount of volunteers to 2 onsite at any given time. Children under 15 years old are the only exception to this rule.
Anyone onsite is required to wear a face mask. If someone attempts to enter the building without a mask, we will promptly turn them away.
Volunteers can only come to the center if they have signed up for a shift in advance and are scheduled on Deputy.
Under no circumstances is anyone exhibiting symptoms of colds, flus, or COVID-19 allowed onsite. In the case that someone shows up feeling sick, our team has the right to turn them away.
If a volunteer or staff member has been exposed to COVID-19, they must communicate with the Volunteer Manager and follow our COVID protocol, including contact tracing and testing prior to returning to volunteering as required.
I used to just stop by when I was in the neighborhood to volunteer. Can I do that now that you need more volunteers?
Unfortunately, no. Right now we are limiting foot traffic onsite and want to be able to track whoever is onsite in the case that we would need to contact trace. It’s very important for the safety of our staff and volunteers that you let us know in advance if you will be visiting the adoption center.
Can I still take a dog for an offsite adventure?
Absolutely! This is actually a great socially-distanced activity that volunteers can participate in. For those who don’t know, an offsite adventure is when a volunteer takes a dog offsite for a few hours. Most often volunteers will take the dog for a hike, but you can also take the dog to the beach or just hang out at home to cuddle for a few hours! The only requirement is that you’ve volunteered a minimum of 12 hours onsite with us. Again, because we aren’t doing drop-bys right now, please email in advance so we can schedule you at a convenient time. If interested, please email volunteer@wagsandwalks.org to schedule your next offsite adventure!
I want to become a Teal Paw volunteer. How do I do that?
Firstly, thanks so much for your interest in learning more about dog-handling and supporting our pups who require more special attention! Teal Paw is the next “level” of volunteer, above Black Paw. Many of our volunteers have been with us for years and remain Black Paw. But, if you have an interest in walking our more difficult pups (meaning they may have never walked on leash before, may be particularly strong, or may not have good leash manners yet), we do offer the opportunity to work 1-1 with our onsite trainer, Emily Whitehouse, who will walk you through everything you need to know to walk our Teal Paw level pups. To become Teal Paw you need to have volunteered a minimum of 12 hours as a Black Paw volunteer. Email volunteer@wagsandwalks.org to learn more and schedule your 1-1 training!
Do you have other volunteer opportunities available right now besides walking dogs?
Yes, we do! The following volunteer roles are currently open:
Transportation (Taking dogs to/from their vet appointments and picking up dogs from the shelter)
Fundraising (Professional experience is required. Please be prepared to submit a resume)
Video editing & graphic design (Professional experience is required. Please be prepared to submit a resume)
Fostering (Fill out our foster application here)
If interested, please email volunteer@wagsandwalks.org!
How can I connect with other volunteers?
Many people are interested in meeting like-minded dog-lovers like themselves! We have an active community on our Wags Volunteer Facebook page. Please send a request to join and you’ll have access to weekly adopted dog updates, happy success stories, updates on upcoming events or fundraisers, as well as the opportunity to be part of a forum for volunteers to ask questions and connect with one another! Additionally, if you are an active volunteer, we will often post volunteer requests on this page.
To stay updated on what’s new at Wags and Walks, please follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Also, don’t forget to sign up for our e-mail newsletter. Who doesn’t love cute pupdates?