Volunteer with Winnipeg Animal Services Agency
Are you passionate about animals and want to make a positive impact in your community?
Winnipeg Animal Services Agency is seeking dedicated volunteers like you to help care for the animals in our shelter.
As a volunteer, you'll play a vital role in improving the lives of the dogs and other animals in our care.
Not only will you be making a difference in the lives of animals, but volunteering also offers many personal rewards:
- Gain valuable experience working with animals
- Meet like-minded people and be part of a supportive community
- Enhance your skills, such as communication, compassion, and responsibility
- Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you're contributing to a good cause
If you're interested in volunteering, please visit our website to learn more about the application process, requirements, and upcoming volunteer orientation sessions. We welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of Winnipeg's animals. Thank you for considering volunteering with Winnipeg Animal Services Agency!
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Ways to Make a Difference for Animals
Dog Enrichment Activities
Dog enrichment activities encompass all the ways we engage our canine companions to stimulate their minds and bodies. These activities serve a vital purpose: reducing anxiety, improving socialization, and addressing behavioral challenges.
Think of it from your dog's perspective - they experience boredom much like we do. Without adequate mental and physical stimulation, they may develop anxiety or exhibit unwanted behaviors. That's where enrichment activities come in, providing both entertainment and mental challenges.
These activities can be wonderfully simple, from an energetic game of fetch to an exciting round of hide-and-seek. For added variety, you might create an engaging obstacle course or offer puzzle toys filled with treats, encouraging problem-solving skills and focused attention.
The ultimate goal is creating a nurturing environment that promotes mental stimulation and emotional well-being. Through these activities, we help our dogs build confidence and feel more secure in their surroundings. This positive approach benefits both dogs and their human companions, strengthening the bond between them.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping duties play a crucial role in supporting kennel assistants' daily operations. When these essential tasks are managed efficiently, staff can dedicate more time to meaningful interactions with the animals in their care.
The scope of daily kennel housekeeping is extensive and meticulous. It includes sanitizing kennels, cleaning food and water bowls, and maintaining pristine common areas to ensure a healthy environment. The comfort of animal residents depends on regular laundry duties - washing blankets, towels, and bedding materials. The role also encompasses inventory management, storage organization, and basic facility maintenance to keep operations running smoothly.
With a well-coordinated approach to housekeeping responsibilities shared across the team, kennel assistants can focus on what matters most: enriching the lives of their animal residents. This valuable time allows staff to conduct training sessions, organize playtime activities, facilitate socialization opportunities, and provide interactive toys and treats - all essential elements for maintaining the physical and emotional well-being of animals in their care.
Animal Care
Join our team as a morning animal care volunteer! You'll start your day with meaningful work—helping prepare nutritious breakfasts for our furry residents. This hands-on role is perfect for early risers who want to learn about animal nutrition, meet like-minded people, and play an important part in keeping our animals happy and healthy. No previous experience required—just a love for animals and a willingness to lend a hand!
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM Food preparation | 223 | 5/23/2026 | 12/31/2026 | |
Dog Enrichment Activities
Animal enrichment is about more than just keeping our residents occupied – it's about stimulating their minds and bodies to keep them happy and healthy. As an enrichment volunteer, you could find yourself preparing tasty treat-filled toys, or even just spending some quality time with the animals. Your interaction can help reduce stress and boredom, making the animals' stay with us as positive as possible.
Dog enrichment activities are anything we can do with our dogs to help stimulate their minds and bodies. The goal is to make them less scared, more socialized, and even correct some problem behaviors.
Think of it like this: dogs get bored just like humans do. If they don't have enough to do, they might start acting out or getting anxious. Enrichment activities give them something fun and challenging to focus on.
Sometimes it's as simple as playing a game of fetch or hide-and-seek. Other times, we might set up a little obstacle course for them to run through or give them a puzzle toy filled with treats to figure out.
The point is to provide comfort and mental stimulation while they're with us. By doing that, we can help them feel more at ease and build their confidence. And that's good for both the dog and the person taking care of them.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrichment | 670 | 5/24/2026 | 6/17/2027 | |
Mission Statement
Animal Services provides essential control measures that benefit both people and animals through the Responsible Pet Ownership By-law.
