existing volunteers click here for shifts

Welcome to our volunteer program at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.

The first step to becoming a volunteer, and to learn more about our program, is to attend an in-person orientation at 1001 Rodriguez Street, Santa Cruz, 95060.

Please sign up for one of the following sessions:

May 7, 2026, 4-5 pm

May 16, 2026, 9-10 am

You can read about the different volunteer roles we offer below. Please take a look and see what barks or meows at you.

Thank you for your interest in supporting our Shelter!

Volunteer Opportunties

Dog Volunteer – Tier 1 & Tier 2: Dog Tender Loving Care (TLC) – Our dog volunteers walk, play, and coddle our dogs, spend quiet time with them in their kennels or in our cuddle room, take them on outings in the community (SPOTT), take them on relaxing sleepovers, and introduce them to potential adopters!

Cat Volunteer: Cat Tender Loving Care (TLC) volunteers play with cats in their condos, introduce cats and kittens to potential adopters, and spend play time or quiet time with them in our Get Acquainted Rooms (GARs).

Rabbit Volunteer: Rabbit Tender Loving Care (TLC) volunteers give our rabbits and Guinea pigs social time, treats, out-of-cage enrichment and exercise in x-pens, introduce them to potential adopters and assist with some cleaning and feeding duties.

Green Team: Our Green Team volunteers maintain and beautify the grounds at our shelters – keeping them tidy, welcoming, and beautiful with native and adapted plants and flowers. Mulching, weeding, mowing, pruning, weed-whacking, and planting make guests feel welcome and give our dogs interesting and calming things to sniff and explore.

Fostering: Foster volunteers help by taking animals home temporarily (for a few days, weeks, or even months). Pets may need some in-home time to recover from illness or injury, grow big and strong enough to be adopted, have a break from the stresses of the shelter, or get a chance to show us their behavior in a home environment instead of a shelter.

Enrichment: Enrichment volunteers provide daily or weekly activities to animals in the shelter to prevent boredom or depression and decrease stress in sheltered animals. Activities might include stuffing Kongs and other puzzle toys, preparing and providing lick mats, kibble rolls or boxes, and more!