Welcome to The City of Long Beach Animal Care Services Volunteer Portal!
*Please read the information below before submitting an application.
VOLUNTEER ROLE INFORMATION
-Minimum age to volunteer is 18 years old.
-All applicants will need to complete a Live Scan background check before volunteering. There is no charge for the background check but all volunteers will have to make an appointment and complete the process at a specific location. The Live Scan form and information about the background check will be emailed to you after you submit an application.
-All new volunteers will start in the Tier 1 (Non-animal handling) role and will need to complete a designated number of Kennel Cleaning, Laundry Assistance, or Cat Cottage Assistance hours and the online Fear Free Shelter Program before getting access to the Animal Handling Training.
-Volunteers register for shifts through their Better Impact account before arriving onsite. Tier 1 volunteer shifts are currently available Wednesday - Sunday (10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm)
-To get started with the volunteer onboarding click the "Fill in an Application" button to create your Better Impact volunteer profile.
Questions about volunteering can be sent to lbacsvolunteer@longbeach.gov
All volunteers will start off in the Tier 1 Volunteer role. This is a non-animal handling position, but the responsibilities are vital in maintaining a clean and organized environment for our animals to live in while they await adoption. Tier 1 volunteers will be working directly alongside LBACS staff and will play an important part in assisting us accomplish our daily lifesaving goals.
Keeping dog and cat kennels clean is essential for maintaining their overall health and well-being. Ensuring kennels are cleaned on a regular basis and that the animals have clean bedding will drastically reduce the risk of animals contracting diseases and infections.
DOG KENNEL CLEANING
Volunteers will assist with hosing down dog kennels, maintaining play yards, washing dishes, refilling water bowls, and giving treats to dogs to help improve their kennel presence.
CAT COTTAGE CLEANING
The primary responsibility of the Cat Cottage Assistant is to help clean litter boxes, organize the cat area and assist with general cleaning tasks.
LAUNDRY & GENERAL ASSISTANCE
Volunteers in the Landry & General Assistance role will help wash and sort laundry and assist with general facility cleaning.
All Volunteers will need to complete at least 12 hours of Tier 1 (non-animal handling) - Dog Kennel Cleaning and the online Fear Free Shelter Course before getting access to the Tier 2 - Dog Handling Training.
Tier 2 Dog Walkers: Volunteers in this role take the dogs housed in our Dog Cottages for potty breaks and walks.
Requirements:
Responsibilities:
-All Dog Team Volunteers are responsible for cleaning up after the dogs during the walk, and spot cleaning kennels.
-Safely walking dogs on approved walk paths.
-Relaying reliable information about a dog's behavior to LBACS staff.
-Relaying reliable information about symptoms of a dog's potential illness to LBACS staff.
-Maintaining or improving a dog's trained behavior as instructed by staff members.
-Properly utilizing safety equipment
Qualifications:
-Must be 18 years old.
-Can accurately read dog body language
-Have an understanding that every dog has unique and ever changing physical and behavioral demands and recognize one's own limitations with each animal.
-Must have a positive attitude and enjoy collaborating with volunteers, staff, and any member of the public
All Volunteers will need to complete at least 8 hours of Tier 1 (non-animal handling) - Cat Cottage Assistance and/or Laundry shifts (between 30-90 days) and the online Fear Free Shelter Course before getting access to the Tier 2 - Cat Handling Training.
Volunteers in the Cat Care & Socialization role will help LBACS staff clean the cat kennels so that our shelter cats can enjoy safe sanitary living spaces.
Cat handling volunteers also take part in cat socialization which provides the cats with love and attention through petting and play.
Requirements:
Responsibilities:
-All Cat Team Volunteers are responsible for cleaning up after the cats even during Cat Socialization and Assessment shifts.
-Listen well to instructions, ask questions to clarify, and ensure tasks are carried out correctly
-Wiping down and sanitizing the cat kennels.
-Changing out towels and linens that are soiled or dirty
-Cleaning litter boxes.
-Provide enrichment when in the cats' living space.
-Rinsing water bowls and providing fresh water regularly
-Restock the cat rooms with supplies (i.e., gloves, paper towels, linens, towels, blankets, litter…etc.)
-Sweep and sanitize the floor in the cat rooms daily
-Interact with the cats to provide enrichment and collect notes on behaviors and health
Qualifications:
-Must be at least 18 years old.
-Strong verbal communication skills, professionalism, and positive energy
-Ability to follow protocols established by LBACS staff
-Can follow cleaning protocol and policies well to help prevent disease contamination
SAFETY POLICIES:
-Readers must sit at least two (2) feet from the kennel bars.
-Readers must not put fingers near or through the kennel bars.
-Please do not feed the animals.
For more information, please contact LBACSVolunteer@longbeach.gov
In addition to Tier 1 volunteer hours, completion of the Fear Free Shelter Program is a requirement if you wish to handle animals.
In this program, you’ll learn how to improve the emotional experiences of animals by applying key strategies and techniques designed to reduce the negative emotional states that are commonly experienced by shelter and rescue animals, including fear, anxiety, stress (FAS), and frustration. The Fear Free Shelter Program aims to provide training that is suitable for all individuals involved in the care and oversight of shelter and rescue animals.
After a brief introduction to Fear Free, you will work through four mandatory modules, which will need to be taken in consecutive order. Progress on work can be saved at any time, giving you the flexibility to self-pace throughout the program. Each module will end with an exam, which needs to be successfully completed prior to moving on to the next module. The core modules take approximately 5 hours to complete. When all four modules have been completed, you will be awarded with a Fear Free Shelter Program Certificate of Completion.
This is a free program, but volunteers will need to fill out and upload the volunteer verification form to the Fear Free Shelter page. A member of the LBACS staff will provide volunteers with a signed copy of the form after the onsite orientation.
Send proof of course completion to LBACSvolunteer@longbeach.gov.
Volunteers seeking proof of hours will need to go through the standard volunteer onboarding process and will need to notify the Volunteer Coordinator of their hours requirement before their Orientation.
Volunteers in need of COURT ORDERED community service will only be offered Tier 1 (non-animal handling) shifts.
Requests for proof of hours documentation need to be emailed to the volunteer team, at lbacsvolunteer@longbeach.gov at least two weeks before the documentation deadline. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to ensure hours are being correctly documented on their Better Impact profile.
The Pet Literacy shifts will not be accepted for adult (18+) community service.
Those that complete their required hours are able to request animal handling trainings by emailing lbacsvolunteer@longbeach.gov.
Volunteers that want to complete hours onsite need to:
-Inform the Volunteer Department if you need proof of hours provided. Let us know how we will be providing them (letter, emailed, etc.) and when you will be needing your hours completed.
-Follow up with all other communications and instructions as assigned by the Volunteer Department.