Needs From: Volunteer East Tennessee

We offer short-term volunteering opportunities for community service such as Tennessee Promise and other programs. These opportunities are for basic but important tasks that help our operations run smoothly, including:

Preparing toys for our furry friends Cleaning around the shelter like mopping, sweeping, restocking, etc. Outside cleaning tasks like sweeping walkways and picking up litter Laundry and dishwashing

No direct animal care tasks are available through short-term volunteering. All short-term volunteers complete a virtual orientation class with a one-time $10 program fee to cover the cost of your volunteer uniform.

Applications for short-term volunteering can be found here.

All volunteers earning community service hours for court are required to complete a background check. The fee for the background check is $45.

After registering, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.

Our Shelter Support team completes tasks that, while not directly involved with animal handling, are essential to shelter operation!

Requirements:

Be at least 16 years old Attend an orientation class and separate training session Meet the attendance requirement: Volunteer at least six (6) hours each month for your first three (3) months Pay a one-time $35 volunteer program fee to cover the cost of your uniform and other program expenses

Example Duties:

Helping the foster department with kitten rechecks and processing new foster applications Assisting the adoptions staff in sending our furry friends into their forever homes Working alongside our intake department to ensure all the animals who come into the shelter have their needs met and their best chance of being reclaimed Completing tasks on the administrative side of the shelter that help us secure funding among other things And much more!

After completing the online application, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.

Paws for Reading is a program that helps individuals in the community and our animals that are available for adoption. Community members practice their reading skills by reading to animals, and in turn, the animals experience the power of the human-animal bond and become more adoptable through socialization.

We ask that you commit to reading to our animals at least twice a month, and contribute a $10 donation to help cover the program’s expenses. The minimum age required for readers is 5 years old.

After completing the online application, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.

Our Kitty Caretaker team supports shelter staff in keeping our cats clean, happy, and healthy!

Requirements:

Be at least 16 years old Attend an orientation class and separate training session Meet the attendance requirement: Volunteer at least six (6) hours each month for your first three (3) months Pay a one-time $35 volunteer program fee to cover the cost of your uniform and other program expenses

Example Duties:

Cleaning and socializing our cats Helping our professional photographer take quality photos for adoption profiles Spending one-on-one time with cats to learn about their likes Assisting the foster department with the many kittens that come into our care Assisting the adoptions staff with cats leaving for their forever homes And much more!

After applying online, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.

If your school club, coworkers, or social organization wants to give back to the community, consider signing up for a group volunteering opportunity!
Volunteer groups can help support the care of our animals in a number of ways: Cleaning our play yards to make animal playtime that much better Sprucing up the lobby so our Adoptions team can focus on the animals Preparing enrichment activities to give to our animals as a special treat Helping staff events where our mission can be spread to the community And in many other ways!

After completing the online request form, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.

Ever wanted to spend a day on the town with a sweet dog? Doggie Day Trips allow you to do just that! Take a shelter dog to hang out with you at a park, go for a hike, see the sites downtown, or whatever suits your fancy! ​​ Dogs enjoy quality time, exercise and socialization outside of the shelter You’ll have a great time too! There is no commitment beyond simply spending the day together and having fun Participants must be at least 18 years old Dog must remain on leash, held by an adult, at all times Dog must be kept separate from personal pets and other dogs you encounter while out and about You will be provided with a harness, leash, and other necessary supplies for your Doggie Day Trip upon arrival at the shelter. Interested? You can apply online to schedule a trip!

Our Canine Caretaker team supports shelter staff in keeping our dogs clean, happy, and healthy!

Requirements:

Be at least 16 years old Attend an orientation class and separate training session Meet the attendance requirement: Volunteer at least six (6) hours each month for your first three (3) months Pay a one-time $35 volunteer program fee to cover the cost of your uniform and other program expenses

Example Duties:

Walking and socializing dogs Helping our professional photographer take quality photos for adoption profiles Spending one-on-one time with dogs to learn about their likes Facilitating doggie playgroups Assisting the adoptions staff with dogs leaving for their forever homes And much more!

After applying online, a staff member will email you about first steps in the next 48 hours.