BC SPCA

Safekeepers Fostering.  The BC SPCA Safekeepers Program supports individuals and families leaving situations of  interpersonal violence by providing temporary, confidential foster care for their companion  animals. Safekeepers volunteers play a vital role in helping guardians rebuild their lives by  ensuring their animals are safe, healthy, and cared for during this transition.  Responsibilities  ' Follow all program protocols and confidentiality requirements, recognizing the sensitive nature of the  Safekeepers Program and the need to protect client privacy.  • Demonstrate awareness of boundaries, use discretion, maintain confidentiality, and comply with privacy  policies.  • Transport Safekeepers foster animals to and from local veterinary clinics for medical appointments as  required.  • Maintain clear communication with Centre staff to support the foster animals' health and complete  behaviour and health reports as needed.  ' Ensure resident animals are vaccinated, can coexist with foster animals, and can be isolated when  necessary.  • Provide a safe, healthy home environment with time for play, interaction, training, and enrichment.  • Understand that Safekeepers animals are not available for adoption and will be reunited with their  guardians when they can resume care.  Requirements & Training  • Must be in philosophical harmony with our mission, vision, values, and strategic directions  • 19 years of age or older.  • Experience caring for injured or ill animals preferred; fostering experience an asset.  • Ability to provide compassionate, patient, trauma-informed care to animals who may be stressed or  adjusting to new environments.  • Understanding of interpersonal violence and trauma as they relate to animals and people is an asset.  • Able to respect boundaries, use discretion, maintain confidentiality, and follow privacy policies.  • Willing and available to attend an in-person or virtual interview.  • Willing to complete about 15 hours of online training to prepare for fostering.  • Open to learning new care and training techniques offered by the BC SPCA.  Volunteering Conditions  • Animal Handling: Working with animals may involve low-stress handling and basic care, requiring  patience and attention to detail.  • Animals Experiencing Stress or Uncertainty: Safekeepers animals may arrive anxious, fearful, withdrawn,  or overstimulated due to recent instability. Behaviour may shift as they settle in; some may hide, vocalize,  or pace. Volunteers may need to support decompression and gradual trust-building.  • Safety Protocols: Volunteers must follow safety procedures to protect themselves and the animals,  including using personal protective equipment (PPE) when needed.  • Potential Hazards: Be aware of risks such as bites, scratches, or exposure to zoonotic diseases. Training  will outline how to reduce these risks.  Time Commitment  • Willingness to complete approximately 15 hours of online training which will help you feel ready and like  the best companion you can be for animals in need.  • We request that Safekeeper fosters commit to being on the foster list for a minimum of 6 months after  application has been accepted.  • Willing to accept safekeepers placements that may range from 3-6 months until the animals guardian has  secured suitable housing.  Benefits of Volunteering  ' Fostering makes a direct impact on animals in need, can bring joy to volunteers, and strengthen family  bonds. It's also a great way to gain valuable skills for future careers in animal care.  • Quality time with animals who need your support.  • The intrinsic reward of knowing you provided life changing care to a family and pet in need  • Training in interpersonal violence and how to care for animals coming from a home where violence is  present  Opportunities to attend BC SPCA events, training and more.  Is fostering with the BC SPCA Right for You?  LEARN MORE  Questions? Email volunteers@spca.bc.ca  MISSION  PROTECTING VULNERABLE ANIMALS AND MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES SO  ANIMALS AND PEOPLE THRIVE TOGETHER.

Animal Fostering.  Foster Care volunteers give vulnerable animals a safe place to heal, grow, learn, and feel  secure. When animals need extra support, fostering provides an essential level of care that  helps them prepare for their forever home or gives them a safe place to stay before being  reunited with their families.  Responsibilities  Communicate urgently with the centre when an animal requires veterinary attention.  • Spend quality time with foster animals daily by providing enrichment activities, play, grooming/petting,  and exercise.  • Provide a suitable environment that meets the animal's needs.  • Ability to transport to/from the centre and/or veterinarian as needed.  • Complete behaviour and health reports as needed.  Requirements & Training  • Philosophical harmony with our mission, vision, values and strategic directions.  • Fosters, or lead fosters in a family, must be 19+ years of age and have housing where pets are permitted.  • Completion of BC SPCA provided online training must be completed prior to starting to foster.  • Previous experience caring for injured/ill animals preferred.  • Open to learning new animal care and training methods.  Volunteering Conditions  • Animal Handling: Working directly with animals may involve low-stress handling, or caring for them,  which requires patience and attention to detail.  • Safety Protocols: Volunteers must adhere to safety protocols to protect themselves and the animals. This  includes using personal protective equipment (PPE) where necessary.  • Potential Hazards: Be aware of potential hazards such as bites, scratches, or exposure to zoonotic  diseases. Training will cover how to minimize these risks.  Time Commitment  • Approximately 1-3 hours of online training is required for entry into the foster program. Length of  training will depend upon animal type you are interested in fostering.  Attendance to an in-centre orientation or interview may be required before starting to foster.  • We request that fosters commit to being on the foster list for a minimum of 6 months after application  has been accepted.  • The length of each foster placement varies depending upon a variety of factors and can be just a  weekend, or months while an animal heals from surgery or a new mother raises her newborns.  Benefits of Volunteering  • Fostering makes a direct impact on animals in need, can bring joy to volunteers, and strengthen family  bonds. It's also a great way to gain valuable skills for future careers in animal care.  Quality time with animals who need your support.  • The intrinsic reward of making a difference in an animal's life by caring for them as they transition into  their forever homes.  • Opportunities to attend BC SPCA events, training and more.  Is fostering with the BC SPCA Right for You?  LEARN MORE  Questions? Email volunteers@spca.bc.ca  MISSION  PROTECTING VULNERABLE ANIMALS AND MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES SO  ANIMALS AND PEOPLE THRIVE TOGETHER.

Dog Care & Wellness.  Our goal is to prepare every dog for a loving home. Volunteers provide enrichment, training,  care, and support to build confidence and positive behaviours. By keeping environments clean  and following staff plans, we help ensure each dog is healthy, happy, and ready for adoption.  Responsibilities  • Provide dogs enrichment through walking, mental stimulation, play and affection.  • Encourage positive behaviours and basic leash skills through approved BC SPCA training techniques.  • Follow any/all recommended behavioural plans set by the staff.  • Record details of each interaction and report concerns/improvements to staff in a timely manner.  • Follow all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and biosecurity protocols.  • Clean kennels, dishes, laundry & toys as needed.  • Adhere to all BC SPCA policies.  Requirements & Training  • Philosophical harmony with our mission, vision, values and strategic directions.  • Completion of BC SPCA provided online training must be completed prior to starting to volunteer.  Additional in person and online training may be required to volunteer with dogs on behavioural plans or  needing PPE.  • Knowledge of dog behaviour and comfortable working with dogs of all breeds and sizes (required).  • Completion of the Fear Free program on low-stress animal handling for shelter animals is highly  recommended. Approximately 6 hours to complete online.  Youth Volunteers  • Youth volunteers under 19 years of age are not permitted to work directly with dogs at this location.  However, there are many other meaningful ways for youth to get involved and make a difference!  Volunteering Conditions  • Indoor and Outdoor Settings: Volunteers may work both indoors and outdoors, depending on the tasks.  Indoor settings include animal care areas, offices, and medical facilities, while outdoor work might involve  walking dogs in the surrounding area or maintaining the premises.  • Weather Conditions: Outdoor tasks may require working in various weather conditions, including rain,  snow, ice, or heat. Volunteers should dress appropriately for the weather and be prepared for seasonal  changes.  • Lifting and Moving: Volunteers may need to lift or move supplies, equipment, or animals, which can  require physical strength and stamina.  • Standing and Walking: Many roles involve long periods of standing or walking, particularly when  interacting with animals or the public. *Contact us about accommodations and modifications.  • Animal Handling: Working directly with animals may involve low-stress handling, or caring for them,  which requires patience and attention to detail.  • Safety Protocols: Volunteers must adhere to safety protocols to protect themselves and the animals. This  includes using personal protective equipment (PPE) where necessary.  • Potential Hazards: Be aware of potential hazards such as bites, scratches, or exposure to zoonotic  diseases. Training will cover how to minimize these risks.  Time Commitment  • Approximately 1 hour of online training is required for entry into the volunteer program.  • Attendance to an in-centre orientation and/or tour may be required before starting to volunteer.  • Due to the level of training provided for volunteers to work with dogs, we request a minimum  commitment of 3 months with one shift per week.  Benefits of Volunteering  • Sense of pride and accomplishment in helping animals prepare for finding their forever home.  • Involvement with a new community of animal lovers and supporters.  • Opportunities to attend BC SPCA events, training and more.  • Excellent training in low-stress animal handling which can be added to your resume.  Questions? Email volunteers@spca.bc.ca  MISSION  PROTECTING VULNERABLE ANIMALS AND MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES SO  ANIMALS AND PEOPLE THRIVE TOGETHER.