Montgomery County Animal Shelter

Dogs in our adoption rooms typically stay with MCAS for several days and need some exercise and

excitement. As a volunteer, you can provide them with playful companionship.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Safely provide the dogs in your care with a relaxing but playful experience.
• 2. Help ensure that all of the dogs in the adoption rooms have the opportunity to enjoy time outside.

Qualifications

Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age unless volunteering with a parent (16-18 with signed parental consent) 

Time

Daily from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday Night from 5:00-8:00pm

Tasks

• Attend and follow the dog walking techniques you learned during orientation and be sure to always put the dog back in the same kennel where you found them. 
• Choose a dog that does not have any special signs such as Do Not Walk, or Ask for assistance.
• Do not walk any dog you do not feel you would be able to control or are uncomfortable handling.

We need help making our cat adopt room and playroom presentable for adopters. Help by washing food bowls, laundry, sweeping, mopping, wiping down walls and windows, and socializing with our furry feline friends!

Key Responsibilities

• Safely provide the cats with a relaxing but enjoyable experience.
• Ensure that all of the cats have a clean environment and fresh food and water.
• Socialize and play with the cats

Qualifications

Must enjoy interacting with cats.

Time

Daily from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Cat handlers may also visit with the cats after adoptions open at 11:30 or they may work on other projects at that time with the animal care technicians as needed.

Having good photos of the animals at MCAS is one of the most important aspects of marketing them online and in social media.

Key Responsibilities

• Take/assist taking formal profile pictures and candid photographs of the dogs or cats that can be used for MCAS’s kennel cards and marketing materials.
• Assistants should follow all instructions for dog walking or cat handling.

Qualifications

16 years of age or older.

Time

Candid photos can be taken any time the volunteer is at the Shelter. Formal picture sessions last two to three hours a week as scheduled with a Lead Photographer. Lead Photographers will notify volunteers on date, time and location at MCAS the team will meet.

Tasks

• Meet with lead photographers for instructions on which animals need to be photographed.
• Pictures taken will be used in the Shelter’s database and on the kennel sheet, so in addition to being a“good picture” the picture must also do well to represent the animal (showcase identifying markings, etc.).
• Volunteers are encouraged to write positive comments about dogs or cats they photograph.

Are you interested in veterinary sciences? Then become a surgery/vet staff assistant and help our team with surgery prep and vet work. You will be working alongside our veterinarians and veterinary technicians to help them increase our surgery capacity and get more animals spayed / neutered.

We are ramping up our surgery efforts in order to get more animals placed into good homes. You can help by transporting dogs and cats to the surgery rooms in the morning for their sterilization procedure. Spaying and neutering is crucial in the adoption process. With your support, more animals go home.

Key Responsibilities

•  Assist with keeping kennels clean, instrument cleaning, restocking supplies, preparation as directed by medical staff.
•  Assist with closing procedures, preparing tools for the next day, post-surgical animal care. 
•  Any other tasks as directed by vet staff.

Qualifications

• 18 years of age or older.
• Needs to be comfortable with surgery room processes.

Time

Surgery: 8:00 - 12:30  Clean-up 12:30 - 3:00