Photos Donated by Crosby Sanders
GIVING BACK, PAWSITIVELY
The Greater Birmingham Humane Society is only able to serve the people and pets of Birmingham thanks to a dedicated team of committed volunteers. Community members of all ages, interests and backgrounds serve in a range of positions, working with our pets and staff to help us reach our mission.
GBHS has a strong commitment to the people and pets we serve, and we ask for an equally strong commitment from the volunteers we work with. All GBHS General Volunteers must go through an application, placement and training process prior to beginning their service.
This training allows them to represent us at off-site events, work with adoptive families, and handle our dogs and cats.
If you’re interested in learning more, please follow the tabs below to learn more about our Volunteer Department, our current needs, and how you can get involved!
Canine CareGivers
Assignment: Canine Caregiver
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Training and Socialization Managers
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
Our goal is to ensure that every canine that enters GBHS will leave healthier and happier than when they came in. How do we achieve that goal, with the thousands of dogs we see each year? It’s all thanks to our Canine Caregiver team. Tirelessly, our Canine Caregiver volunteers work with our Animal Care and Training staff to provide exercise, mental stimulation, training, and grooming every single day of the week.
Key Responsibilities:
• Working with GBHS Animal Care Staff to ensure that each dog’s daily care schedule is completed – will include walking, bathing, socializing, and training dogs daily.
• Keeping kennels clean throughout shift.
• Maintaining accurate logs for each dog.
• Cleaning up after pets
• Making notes regarding pets behavior and personality for staff and other volunteers
• Staying up to date on protocols and best practices, as relayed by staff
Requirements:
• 16 years of age or older
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs.
• Willing and able to handle dogs of varying sizes, breeds, and temperaments
• Must understand and follow all training/behavior/shelter protocols
• Must work well with others and be communicative
• Must have a genuine passion for working with and bettering the lives of shelter dogs
Schedule:
Volunteers are able to have a set schedule or can schedule shifts at will.
• Shifts are available in 2-hour increments, every day of the week. Shifts run from 8:00-6:00 Tuesday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 Saturday, 9:00-4:30 Sunday, and 8:00-5:00 on Mondays.
Feline Friends
Assignment: Feline Friends
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Director of Training and Socialization
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
They’re cute, they’re cuddly, and they need a lot of care! Our Feline Friends Volunteers are responsible for the daily care of all GBHS cats and kittens. From socialization to grooming to keeping their condos clean, these cat-oriented volunteers stay busy, every single day of the week.
Key Responsibilities:
• Working with GBHS Animal Care Staff to ensure that each cat receives socialization and exercise time
• Keeping condos and colonies clean throughout shift.
• Maintaining accurate logs for each cat.
• Cleaning up after pets
• Making notes regarding pets behavior and personality for staff and other volunteers
• Staying up to date on protocols and best practices, as relayed by staff
Requirements:
• 16 years of age or older
• Must be able to lift 10 lbs.
• Willing and able to handle cats of varying sizes, breeds, and temperaments
• Must understand and follow all training/behavior/shelter protocols
• Must work well with others and be communicative
• Must have a genuine passion for working with and bettering the lives of shelter cats
Schedule:
Volunteers are able to have a set schedule or can schedule shifts at will.
• Shifts are available in 2-hour increments, every day of the week. Shifts run from 8:00-6:00 Tuesday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 Saturday, 9:00-4:30 Sunday, and 8:00-5:00 on Mondays.
Guest Services
Assignment: Guest Services
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Director of Training and Socialization
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
Are you a master of first and last impressions? Do you live and breath customer service? If so, then become a GBHS Guest Services volunteer! Guest Services volunteers work behind the adoptions desk and in our gift shop, helping clients day in and out to make sure they have an exceptional GBHS experience. From answering phones to helping ensure adoptive families leave with all the supplies they need, this position is critical to a smooth, happy experience for all.
Key Responsibilities:
• Ensuring guests have a positive last impression of GBHS
• Answering questions from the public in a professional, friendly manner
• Helping adoptive families and consumers find the supplies they need in The Society Store
• Take payment for adoptions and products
• Answer questions about merchandiser
• Restock shelves and assist in keeping shop clean and orderly
• Related work as assigned
Reception Desk Station:
• Greeting adoption center guests as they enter, ensuring a positive first impression
• Inputting adoption applications into software system
• Ensuring all guests sign in and receive a guest tag
• Keeping the adoption room waiting list accurate and up to date
• Answering phones
• Answering questions from the public in a professional, friendly manner
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Customer service oriented.
• Excellent communication skills – in person and on the phone
• Comfortable answering questions and talking to guests
• Organized
• Proficient with computers
• Able to comfortably multitask under pressure
Schedule:
•Volunteers are able to have a set schedule or can schedule shifts at will.
•Shifts are available 4:00-6:00 pm Tuesday-Friday; 10:00-12:00, 12:00-2:00, 2:00-4:00 Saturday, and 12:00-2:00, 2:00-4:00 on Sunday.
Adoption Docent
Assignment: Adoption Docent
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Adoption and Kennel Managers
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
We’re matchmakers, putting the right people with the right pets to ensure a lifelong bond. But how do we do that? It’s all thanks to the help of our Adoption Docents. Adoption Docent volunteers know our pets inside and out, and they take care to work with potential adopters to answer questions, help them find a pet right for their home, and set them up with an adoption counselor, ensuring that prospective pet parents have all the information they need to make the best decision for their family.
Key Responsibilities:
• Greeting guests to the adoption center as they come in the door
• Explaining the GBHS adoption process
• Answering questions about GBHS adoptable pets, working with Pet Models and Animal Caregivers
• Showing guests around the building
• Helping adopters fill out adoption applications
• Helping adoption staff with application follow up and screening
• Related work as assigned
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Customer service oriented.
• Excellent communication skills
• Comfortable answering questions and talking to guests
Schedule:
•Volunteers are able to have a set schedule or can schedule shifts at will.
•Shifts are available 4:00-6:00 pm Tuesday-Friday; 10:00-12:00, 12:00-2:00, 2:00-4:00 Saturday, and 12:00-2:00, 2:00-4:00 on Sunday.
Pet Pantry Volunteer
Assignment: Pet Pantry Volunteer
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Pet Pantry Coordinator (volunteer)
Reports To: Pets for Life Director
General Function:
GBHS wants to keep families together, whenever possible. That’s why we provide FREE pet food to qualified low-income residents across the city of Birmingham, through our Pet Pantry.
Pet Pantry is run completely by volunteers, who return phone calls, verify and enroll applications, inventory donations, and distribute food at monthly distributions.
This position offers a more flexible schedule for volunteers, and some work may be done from home.
Key Responsibilities:
• Compassionately working with applicants to determine their qualification for the program
• Enrolling qualified applicants
• Returning messages left on Pet Pantry voicemail line
• Inventorying donated food to determine what needs to be purchased each month
• Using GBHS grant funds, purchasing needed items for Pantry
• Organizing and labeling food for pickup, and delivering food when needed
• Keeping up with participant records
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Able to attend most Pet Pantry distributions (first Saturday of each month, from 10:00 – 12:00)
• Able to work twice a month inside shelter, preparing for distribution day
• If volunteering from home, must have free phone access
• Have excellent phone skills
• Good knowledge of computers and excel-type software
• Must be able to lift 40 lbs.
• Must work well with others and be communicative
Schedule:
• Volunteers should be prepared to volunteer from home as needed, on a rotating schedule
• Volunteers should be prepared to volunteer in the center, in preparation for distribution day, two times a month
• Volunteers should be able to attend most (at least three per six months) distribution days, held on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00-12:00 at Snow Drive.
Education Program
Assignment: ‘Paw’sitive Education Volunteer
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Community Engagement Manager
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
Our mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals and people through education, advocacy and services. As a ‘Paw’sitive Education Volunteer, you would be an instrumental part in delivering our message of compassionate, responsible pet ownership in schools and in the community. Working with teachers, school counselors, and community leaders, ‘Paw’sitive Education Volunteers attend scheduled educational opportunities, teaching GBHS approved lessons on responsible pet ownership to kids and adults.
Key Responsibilities:
• Learning and understanding GBHS lesson plans
• Establishing relationships inside schools, in order to provide a safe person for kids and parents to talk to about animal-related topics
• Answering questions regarding GBHS, our policies, and programs, as well as questions regarding animal care and welfare
• Delivering lesson plans in schools and in communities
• Engaging with students and citizens to ensure a fun, interactive, and educational experience
• Helping Outreach Director keep track of measurables
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Have an outgoing, friendly personality
• Comfortable talking to community members and answering questions
• Comfortable working throughout the Greater Birmingham Area
• Background check required
Schedule:
• Shift availability fluctuates depending on need and season
Community Ambassador
Assignment: Community Ambassador
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Director of Marketing and Branding
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
Did you know that GBHS attends over 80 events each year and conducts at least 7 tours each month? These community-relations oriented occasions are imperative to raising awareness about GBHS, our mission, and our pets, and thanks to the hard work of our Community Ambassador volunteers, GBHS is able to talk to the community face to face all the time. As a Community Ambassador volunteer, you’ll be working with the Director of Marketing and Branding to ensure GBHS has a presence at off-site events and educating the public about our cause by leading tours of the facility.
Key Responsibilities:
• Staff information, adoption or retail booth at community events, festivals, fundraisers and other off-site locations
• Safely and humanely handle all types of animals at adoptable events
• Accept responsibility for booth materials including picking up materials from administrative office or shelter, setting up materials at offsite events, breaking down materials fro offsite events and delivering materials back to the administrative office or shelter in a timely manner
• Present a professional and positive image of the shelter to the community
• Provide general shelter information to the public and adoption counseling to potential adopters
• Accurately and positively represent the shelter’s views on animal welfare issues
• Promote shelter fundraising events, activities and programs
Lead informative, engaging, and educational tours for scheduled groups
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Have an outgoing, friendly personality
• Comfortable talking to community members and answering questions
Schedule:
• Shift availability fluctuates depending on need and season
Pet Publicist
Title: Pet Publicist Volunteer
Job Type :Volunteer
Supervised By: Director of Marketing and Branding; Adoptions Manager
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
General Function: Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) is looking for Pet Publicist volunteer to help tell the story of pets in our shelter on a regular basis. High-quality photos that display the individual pet’s unique personalities and captivating mini-bios are key to attracting the right homes for those in our care. Can you help our pets find their forever homes faster?
Key Responsibilities:
Pet Portrait Role:
• Photographing pets on a regular basis
• Following the GBHS brand standards in all photos
• Editing photos as needed
• Uploading photos to website quickly
Pet Biographer Role:
• Based on notes in pet’s charts, discussions with Canine Caregiver and Feline Friend volunteers, and direct interactions, writing short descriptions of pet’s personality
• Uploading writings to website
• Editing documents as needed
Requirements:
• 18 years of age or older
• Camera (if applicable) and internet access
• Comfortable working around pets of various ages, breeds, temperaments, and conditions
• Strong writing or photography background
Note: Opportunity is open to serious students or amateurs who are looking to gain portfolio experience.
Schedule:
• Very flexible hours
Laundry Helper
Assignment: Laundry Helper
Job Type: Volunteer
Supervised By: Clinic Manager
Reports To: Community Engagement Manager
General Function:
When you have a never-ending stream of pets coming in and out, there’s a LOT to do every day. From laundry to dishes to keeping rooms organized and tidy, our Laundry Helper volunteers keep the shelter running full speed.
Key Responsibilities:
• Keeping the shelter looking it’s best by staying on top of a rigorous upkeep list
• Daily laundry
• Sanitizing and washing dishes
• Putting away toys, clean dishes, and clean laundry
• Preparing newspapers for kennels
• Any other duties, as assigned
Requirements:
• 16 years of age or older
• Must be able to lift 10 lbs.
• Must understand and follow all behavior/shelter protocols
• Must work well with others and be communicative
Schedule:
• Volunteers are able to have a set schedule or can schedule shifts at will.
• Shifts are available in 2-hour increments, every day of the week.
•Shifts run from 8:00-6:00 Tuesday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 Saturday, 9:00-4:30 Sunday, and 8:00-5:00 on Mondays.
We would be happy to answer any questions. Please contact us by clicking the button below.
