Court-Ordered Community Service Application

Community Service Volunteer Rules and Regulations

• Court-ordered community service volunteering is designed for non-violent misdemeanors.

• This is court ordered community service so you will be working while you are here.  You will be cleaning kennels and cages, doing laundry, washing dishes, washing crates, sweeping and mopping floors, washing windows, and other duties involved with caring for our pets.

• Hours are 8am-12pm only, but we are open 7 days a week. The start time is not flexible, but the end time is flexible IF there is still work to be completed after 12pm. Please arrive no later than 8am. 

• Ring the doorbell at the front doors to be let in by a staff member. Doors unlock at 12.

• Wear something you do not mind getting dirty or ruined.

• Wear sturdy non-slip shoes like sneakers or work boots.  NO open toe shoes, flip flops, or high heels allowed.

• You must be wearing your volunteer lanyard in order to work. These can be found in the volunteer center and must be returned after each shift.

• We will not be responsible for your belongings, so please leave purses, cell phones, and all personal belongings in your car or at home.

• You may have your cell phone on you, but it may not interfere with completing work. If you are asked more than twice to put away your phone, you will be asked to complete your community service elsewhere. 

Code of conduct

As a volunteer for LHS you are an ambassador for our organization.  We ask that you do your best to represent us and our pets well, and in order to do that we ask that you adhere to the following policies and procedures:

• No possession of use of drugs, alcohol, or weapons will be permitted

• Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated

• Abusive behavior, verbal or physical, toward LHS staff, other volunteers, or customers will not be tolerated

• Any negative posts on social media will not be tolerated, please be encouraging and point people to LHS with questions or concerns

• If for whatever reason you are no longer able to volunteer at LHS, you must notify the volunteer coordinator. You will be asked to fill out a volunteer exit survey that is meant to help improve our program. 

Termination Policy

LHS reserves the right to terminate a volunteer’s service if, at the LHS’s discretion, it is in the best interest of the organization and/or the volunteer. Possible grounds for termination include but are not limited to: gross misconduct or insubordination; being under the influence of drugs or alcohol; theft of property or misuse of LHS equipment and materials; abuse or mistreatment of animals, staff or other volunteers; failure to adhere to organization policies and procedures; failure to satisfactorily perform assigned duties; and behavior which is deemed detrimental to the Lynchburg Humane Society. We operate on a 3-strike termination policy for volunteers. The first incidence you will receive a written notice, second will be verbal, and final will be termination. These warnings will be a result of not following any of the above policies or at the discretion of the volunteer coordinator.

Completion of Community Service Hours

Upon completion of hours, please contact Allie at allie@lynchburghumane.org in order to collect a signed letter or timecard. Please reach out at least 3 days in advance of when you need your materials. After your court-ordered service is completed, you may return as a volunteer without paying an additional fee if you return within 3 months. General volunteer work includes more options in terms of tasks and timing. You will need to fill out a General Volunteer application and complete our digital orientation for general volunteers.