Thank you for your interest in the San Antonio Humane Society (SAHS) Volunteer Program! Volunteers are vital in helping us continue our mission to improve the lives of dogs and cats in our community by providing shelter, care, adoption, rescue, spay/neuter programs, and community education.  We understand your time is valuable and we appreciate that you’re thinking about spending some of it with us!

 

Please Note:  Completing this application does not guarantee acceptance into the SAHS volunteer program. Acceptance is contingent upon the following:

 

Essential Volunteer Capabilities Review

All applicants are required to read and sign the SAHS Essential Volunteer Capabilities document included in this application. After reviewing the document, applicants are asked to note any possible accommodation requests.  If accommodations are requested the applicant will be contacted by a member of the volunteer department to discuss the requests and determine together if volunteering at the SAHS is the right fit for the applicant. 

 

Orientation (Volunteer 101)

Applicants who have completed the application and essential volunteer capabilities review will be sent a link to register for volunteer orientation (Volunteer 101).  Applicants will be required to pay the volunteer fee of $25 when registering for the class. 

 

Background Check Results

All applicants will be sent an invitation to complete a background check after registering for an orientation. Applicants are responsible for paying for the cost of the background check ($18.95).  The application fee is paid direclty to the background check processor, so no refunds can be made once paid.  If you have questions regarding your ability to pass the background check please contact us at volunteer@sahumane.org.  The following reports will be included in the background check: 

 

• Social Security Number Trace
• 7-Year County Criminal
• 7-Year Federal Criminal
• National Criminal Database
• Sex Offender Registry
• Terrorist Watch List
• Wants & Warrants

 

The Volunteer Supervisor will review all background check reports and determine if any negative information has a direct connection with the applicant’s ability to fulfill the volunteer’s duties with competence and integrity, or that might impact safety. Matters that might raise concern include but are not limited to the following: 

 

• Any recent felony conviction - these serious crimes are usually defined by statutory guidelines, and in general, are punishable by more than 10 years of incarceration.
• Animal cruelty - including neglect and direct abuse.
• Drug-related crimes - including use, sale, possession, distribution, or manufacture of illegal drugs.
• Sex offenses - including rape and sexual assault.
• Serious motor vehicle offenses - including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Theft - including burglary, embezzlement, forgery, and fraud.
  Violent crimes - including murder, robbery, assault, and battery. 

The SAHS is an independent non-profit organization relying on the generosity and commitment of volunteers. The role of volunteers at the shelter is to assist the staff in completing daily operational tasks to fulfill the mission and vision of the SAHS. To this end, volunteers of any capacity are expected to safely and efficiently perform any and all necessary tasks related to their assignment. The SAHS is all-inclusive and we are dedicated to respecting and accepting the differences of all individuals. With that said, the safety of all individuals and pets within our organization remains our highest priority. The SAHS will consider accommodation requests and will work with volunteers to identify and provide reasonable accommodations when possible to enable persons with disabilities to volunteer. Any reasonable accommodation given must comply with the safety requirements that the SAHS implements for both the animals and the volunteers. The SAHS also reserves the right to closely examine whether a requested reasonable accommodation will create an undue burden on the SAHS.

 

The SAHS operates solely as a place to house, protect, heal, and aid animals. The SAHS utilizes volunteers in many of the tasks required to make that mission a possibility. Volunteer positions with the SAHS should not be used as a means for personal animal therapeutic experiences. Because volunteers provide safe operational support to staff by caring for pets until they get adopted we cannot accommodate volunteers, including job coach/client pairs, seeking primarily an animal therapy experience. The SAHS has many volunteer positions available that will change based upon the needs of the staff and the animals. The SAHS may be required to limit certain volunteer positions due to this need, and we are unable to create projects solely for the benefit of the volunteer. Due to the specific positions available, the SAHS reserves the right to determine that no applicable position is available at any given time.

 

Please consider the following minimum volunteer capabilities, as volunteers must be able to perform all volunteer duties, with or without a reasonable accommodation:

 

PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES

 

• Quick reflexes and ability to use both hands simultaneously (example: open cage door while handling pet).
• Ability to travel unaided on unpaved, uneven, rugged, slippery, and sometimes muddy terrain (both indoors and outdoors), as well as maneuver cramped spaces.
• Ability to bend and squat in order to leash/harness, and/or pick up a pet.
• Ability to stand for significant periods of time while walking dogs, socializing cats, or cleaning cages/kennels.
• Average vision (with or without correction) to move safely throughout the building, distinguish animal body language, as well as read instructions and a pet's paperwork.
• Ability to hear, or be aware, if an animal is giving warnings, such as growling, yelping, or hissing.
• Ability to effectively communicate in the manner required by the position.
• Ability to react quickly to prevent dogs or cats from escaping (example: the ability to quickly pursue and retrieve any cats or dogs who have escaped from a kennel or cage).
• Ability to cope with a very loud environment due to animal noises.
• Ability to deal with strong and unpleasant odors, fleas, ticks, feces, and possible wounds or injuries to pets in our care.

 

COGNITIVE CAPABILITIES

 

• Ability, once trained, to work independently with minimal supervision, which will be determined based upon the task assigned, while recognizing limitations in knowledge and abilities, and knowing when to ask for help if needed.
• If lacking the ability to work independently, for any reason, must be able to work alongside a job coach/caregiver with focused attention on the task at hand.
• Ability to comprehend and understand instructions and procedures.
• Ability to understand, remember, and follow instructions and procedures.
• Basic reading, writing, spelling, and communication skills.
• Ability to problem-solve.
• Ability to handle redirection and constructive criticism without responding with negativity.
• Ability to recognize potentially hazardous situations when working with animals.
• Ability to remain calm with animals who are upset, behave sensitively and confidently and act appropriately in these situations.
• Ability to communicate professionally and politely.
• Acceptance of the boundaries between the role of the volunteer and the role of the staff.
• Ability to cope with a highly emotionally charged environment with some animals that are homeless, abandoned, and/or abused, as well as the reality that some of the animals in our care may be euthanized.
• Maintain a positive attitude and a solution-oriented approach to challenging situations, rather than resorting to complaining or gossiping.
• Ability to understand the SAHS policies and procedures and the willingness to appropriately and accurately represent those policies when interacting with the public or otherwise representing the SAHS.

 

Individuals unable to meet the minimum volunteer capabilities outlined above may still volunteer if accompanied by a volunteer auxiliary who can help the volunteer meet the minimum capabilities outlined above. In this case, an auxiliary is defined as a caregiver, job coach, friend, or relative. Please consider the following policies if volunteering with an aide:

 

• Volunteers must provide their own auxiliary and the auxiliary must accompany the volunteer at all times - throughout orientation, training, and volunteering.
• The auxiliary must become a SAHS volunteer, completing the entire onboarding process.
• The volunteer, with the assistance of their auxiliary, must be able to perform all tasks necessary for their assignment and follow all safety protocols.
• The auxiliary must be responsible for the volunteer's schedule, including the recording of hours served.
• The auxiliary must be responsible for staying up-to-date on shelter procedural changes as they occur.
• The SAHS cannot provide additional supervision in place of an approved auxiliary.
• Any substitute or replacement auxiliary must first complete the SAHS orientation and training process before accompanying the volunteer.
• There should be no more than four volunteers per auxiliary at any time.
• Volunteers or their auxiliaries can request an assessment after three months to determine if the volunteer can independently and successfully perform the required tasks.