BARC Policies
Volunteer Requirements
All volunteers must read, agree to and sign the Volunteer Initiatives Program Acknowledgement, Waiver, & Release before volunteering at BARC or at BARC events. Parents/guardians of minors must ensure that their child fully understands the terms stated in the Waiver before signing on their behalf.
Volunteers must be over the age of 13 to volunteer at BARC. Volunteers under 18 years of age are not allowed to handle adult animals. This is to protect our young volunteers. All volunteers opening the cage to an adult animal must be of legal age to make that decision. A parent and their child may walk an adult dog; however, the dog must be under the control of the parent and may not be controlled/led by the child.
Parents must supervise their minors at BARC. Volunteers under the age of 16 must have a parent/guardian directly supervising them at all times while volunteering at BARC or at BARC events. Volunteers who are 16 or 17 years of age may volunteer by themselves with written permission from their parent/guardian. This permission is granted with their signature of this Volunteer Waiver at orientation.
Badge is Required after three shifts because BARC is a City of Houston facility, all volunteers and staff must wear a City Access Badge while at BARC. You will receive instructions for acquiring a badge at the Volunteer Orientation.
Dress Code
- Closed toe, non-slip shoes are required at all times for your safety.
- long shorts/capris are required when handling animals to prevent scratches.
- No midriffs or excessively short articles of clothing are allowed.
- Identification badge must be worn while at BARC.
Incident Notification Inform the Volunteer Coordinator about any/all incidents involving injuries, animal illness, equipment/facility conditions, or public affairs. We care about you, the animals, and BARC so let us know if anything is wrong.
Volunteers will not receive compensation or remuneration I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I am volunteering my services to the Program gratuitously, without any express or implied promise by the City to compensate me for my services, and I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I am not entitled to, and will not receive, remuneration of any kind, including, but not limited to, salary or reimbursement for my transportation, parking, travel, or any other expenses whatsoever which may be incidental to my services as a volunteer for the Program.
Volunteers are not City employees and are not covered under City insurance or benefits I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I am not an employee of the City. I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that because I am not an employee of the City, I am not entitled to any benefits normally associated with employment, including, but not limited to, Workers' Compensation, retirement and leave accrual. I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that there has been, and will be, no promise of future employment with the City.
Volunteers will adhere to all City rules & regulations I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I must conform to the rules and regulations of the City to the best of my ability including, but not limited to, timely notice if I am sick and cannot be in attendance, and timely arrival at the office or work site to commence my services on the days I have agreed to perform my services. I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that my services as a volunteer can be terminated at any time by me or by the City.
Volunteer will use proper safety precautions I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I will be participating in the Program at my own risk. I affirm that I am physically fit and prepared to perform services in the Program. I will not create an unsafe situation for other individuals, or myself, nor will I use any tool or engage in any task with which I am not completely comfortable. I will abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws, as well as the rules and directions of the Program coordinators. If I see any situation that I feel is unsafe, I will call it to the attention of a safety coordinator.
Volunteers will respect confidential information I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I may be exposed to confidential information while participating in the Program and I agree to respect the confidential nature of all information, whether in files or in electronic form, and/or any other confidential information which may be revealed to me in any other manner (including contacts with third parties who relate confidential information to the City). I also agree not to remove any such information or any copies thereof or other recording whatsoever from the City's work locations. I represent and warrant that I am not currently representing a member of, and/or associated with any person or entity against City interests. I further agree that I will not represent any person or entity in the future in a matter adverse to the City on which I worked in the Program.
Volunteer Acknowledgement, Waiver, & Release
Volunteers cannot make third party commitments I ACKNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTAND that I am not an agent of the City and I will not make any commitment on behalf of the City to third parties.
Volunteers may be used in promotion of the program I hereby grant the City full and complete permission to use in legitimate promotions of the Program photographs, video shots and quotations from me.
Criminals may not participate in the program I represent and warrant that I have never been charged with or convicted of a violation of any criminal statute, whether felony or misdemeanor, (excluding parking violations) and further represent and warrant that I am not now or have never been on any form of parole, probation or deferred adjudication. I hereby authorize the City to research my personal background, as it deems necessary, for my driving record and criminal history. I further authorize the City to perform a drug test if my volunteer services include safety impact duties.
Waiver/Release In consideration of Participant being permitted to participate and as a condition to being allowed to participate in the Program, I, the undersigned, for and on behalf of myself, my minor child (if applicable), my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, hereby release, acquit and forever discharge the City of Houston, Texas, together with its former and present elected and appointed officials, directors, legal representatives, agents, servants, employees (in both their public and private capacities), volunteers, successors, assigns, and all affiliated persons and entities (hereinafter collectively called City), of, from, and against any and all liabilities of every kind, claims, causes of action, whether at law or in equity, in contract or tort, under statutory or common law or pursuant to the Texas or United States Constitution(s) (including all expenses of litigation, costs, and attorneys = Fees), known and unknown, losses, judgments, fines, demands, damages, loss of use or services, or injuries to real and/or personal property and/or persons (including death) (collectively Claims), caused by, arising out of, touching upon or in any way relating to the Program and/or the presence, malfunction, maintenance, addition, substitution, use or condition of any tangible personal or real property owned, leased, operated, or utilized by the City in connection with the Program even if the Claim is the result of the actual or alleged sole negligence of the City and/or the result of the actual or alleged gross negligence of the City, and/or the actual or alleged joint or concurrent negligence of the City and any other person or entity, and/or the actual or alleged strict, statutory or constitutional liability of the City.
