what can i do to help as a volunteer?
Listed below are all of the current Dakin volunteer positions. As we expand our services to Hampden County, more volunteer opportunities will become available. Please check back frequently to find out about new volunteer opportunities!
foster care
Minimum Age: For everyone! Primary foster parent(s) must be 18
years or older, however, children are very welcome to assist with foster
care when safe and appropriate. Primary foster parent must have
transportation.
Commitment Level: You choose!
You can decide to foster anywhere from two weeks to two months or more.
And you can choose to foster just one time or many, many times. The
more you foster, you more lives you help save!
Availability: Click
here to apply!
Do you love the antics of kittens but don't want your own cat to have a litter? Do you have a soft spot for shy or senior animals? Foster parenting might be for you!
Foster parents usually care for animals too young to be placed immediately up for adoption. Most of our fostering needs are temporary homes for litters of kittens. Some litters will have a mother, while some will need to be bottle fed. Some kittens will only need a week or two of foster care, while some may need as long as eight weeks before they are ready for adoption.
Our foster parents also help with special-needs animals. They might care for shy or nervous animals, who do not respond well to the adoption center environment, until they can find their forever home. Or they might provide long term (i.e. six months) temporary care to adult cats and dogs as part of our Safety Plan for Animals. Sometimes foster parents help an injured animal recover from surgery.
In all cases, Dakin makes arrangement for and pays for medical care. We greatly appreciate when foster parents can provide food, cat litter, and other supplies for foster animals. However, Dakin can help with that as well when needed!
Our foster parents help Dakin save hundreds of lives each year. If you want to be a part of this tremendous opportunity to make a difference in the life of an animal in need, click here to fill out our foster care application.
pet taxi driver
Minimum Age: 16 years of older with valid driver's license and
insured vehicle
Commitment Level: You choose!
Availability: Always available!
Attend a Welcome Session.
Pet Taxi volunteers provide vital assistance with Dakin transportation needs. Typical transports include: bringing animals to and from veterinary appointments; moving animal(s) and/or supplies between our Springfield and Leverett facilities; escorting an animal to and from a local groomer. There are also periodic transport needs that include longer trips between animal care facilities across the region or state.
Pet Taxi volunteers must have an e-mail address and regular e-mail access, as this is our means of communicating transport needs. Pet Taxi volunteers are "on call", therefore days and times (usually early morning or afternoon) will vary.
organizing projects, fundraisers, and "friendraisers"
Minimum Age: For everyone!
Commitment Level: You choose!
Availability: Always available!
Click here to e-mail
Outreach
Administrator.
The animals in our community need lots of friends and support to improve their health, safety, and welfare, as well as to help homeless animals find their forever homes. Your creativity and energy can make a tremendous difference to animals in need.
Collecting Wish List items is a very popular and easy way to make an immediate difference for Dakin. You may also choose to work towards increasing awareness in our community of Dakin and animal welfare. Possible focal points include promoting animals currently available for adoption at Dakin, encouraging people to spay/neuter their animals, alerting people to the services that Dakin provides, and much more!
If you would be interested in organizing a project to benefit Dakin, please contact the Outreach Administrator to get started.
Dakin community spay/neuter clinic volunteering in springfield
Minimum Age: 16+, 18 years or older preferred
Commitment Level: Long-term
preferred (6+ months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies
The Dakin Community Spay/Neuter Clinic is looking for volunteers to supplement staff resources so more animals can be spayed/neutered each day and to increase the effectiveness of the clinic. No experience is required, but volunteers must be able to work independently, be motivated and detail-oriented. Primary volunteer duties for all clinic volunteers include: laundry washing/drying/folding, cage & floor cleaning, and surgical instrument prep & pack. Please note, the clinic only operates during the week and volunteers are only needed between the hours of 10am and 4pm (no evenings or weekends). If you are interested in pursuing a volunteer position in the clinic, please click here to e-mail Outreach Administrator for more information.
adoption center helper
Minimum Age: 16 years or older
Commitment Level: Long-term (6+
months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies. Attend a
Welcome Session to find out more.
Adoption center helpers assist the staff with a variety of tasks. Responsibilities will vary depending on Dakin's needs, but can include general cleaning, laundry, dishes, photocopying, putting away donations, etc.
closing helper
Minimum Age: 16 years or older
Commitment Level: Long-term (6+
months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies.
Attend a Welcome Session to find out more.
Closing helpers assist with general cleaning of the facilities and with animal care. Tasks can include cleaning cages, feeding/watering, doing laundry and dishes, walking dogs, and general cleaning. Closing helpers must be comfortable working around and cleaning animal waste; must be able to bend, stoop, and lift awkward objects.
morning animal caregiver
Minimum Age: 16 years or older
Commitment Level: Long-term (6+
months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies.
Attend a Welcome Session to find out more.
Animal Caregivers maintain cleanliness and perform a variety of jobs that help make the adoption centers a comfortable and healthy place for the animals and our customers. Animal caregivers specialize in working with one type of animal- cats, dogs or small animals (small animal caregivers are needed in Springfield only). Tasks can include cleaning cages, feeding/watering, doing laundry and dishes, and general cleaning. Animal caregivers must be comfortable working around and cleaning animal waste; must be able to bend, stoop and lift awkward objects.
daytime dogs (aka mid-day dog walking)
Minimum Age: 16 years or older
Commitment Level: Long-term (6+
months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies.
Attend a Welcome Session to find out more.
Daytime dog caregiver volunteers give special one-on-one attention to adoption center dogs while helping with adoption center upkeep. Tasks can include: giving each dog a brief or long walk, depending on the dog's needs; cleaning kennel if spoiled; making sure bedding and water is clean and fresh; doing laundry and dishes; performing enrichment duties tailored to each dog (as instructed by Behavior staff). Daytime dog caregivers must be able to safely handle large, strong dogs; must be comfortable working around and cleaning animal waste; must be able to bend, stoop and lift awkward objects.
office assistant
Minimum Age: 16+, 18 years or older preferred
Commitment Level: Long-term (6+
months, one shift a week)
Availability: Varies.
Attend a Welcome Session to find out more.
Current project needs are as follows:
- Database projects: must be fluent in Word and Excel
- Data entry: speed and accuracy are critical
Right now our copying/filing jobs are fully staffed with volunteers.
To help us determine a volunteer's skill set, we recently partnered with the staff of United Personnel who are graciously allowing us to use their assessment system for prospective volunteers.
In general, office volunteers must be able to come into the adoption center- work cannot be done at home. Hours for office volunteers are flexible, bet are generally weekdays only between 9am and 4pm.
Click here to continue reading about how you can start volunteering.