Thank you for offering your time to volunteer with Paws for Life K9 Rescue. The work we do for the animals would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. Please read through the agreement below, complete the form at the bottom and return to the volunteer coordinator. This Agreement and General Release limits our liability and must be complete, signed and returned prior to volunteering.
1. VOLUNTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION. I acknowledge that I have voluntarily agreed to serve as a volunteer for Paws for Life K9 Rescue, a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of California, whose mission is to bring about a time of No More Homeless Pets. I am a "Volunteer." I offer to perform as a Volunteer of my own volition. No one has demanded that I participate in any activity with Paws For Life K9 Rescue.
2. NATURE AND SCOPE OF SERVICES. As a Volunteer, I will be contributing my time and effort to various prisons and outreach programs of Paws for Life K9 Rescue and performing a wide range of Services (collectively, the "Services") for the benefit of Paws for Life K9 Rescue. The Services will be performed by me as assigned by an officer, director, employee or another volunteer of Paws for Life K9 Rescue. In the course of performing the Services, I agree:
(a) To read the Volunteer Handbook (if applicable) and otherwise complete all required orientation, training, and paperwork relating to my volunteer position(s).
(b) To disclose any physical or psychological limitations to appropriate staff before participating in any activity. Since I may be interacting with animals, both healthy and sick, big and small, and may be lifting, carrying, moving, or otherwise engaging in physical labor, I will be respectful of my own limitations and will inform staff immediately of any such limitations.
(c) To read and to obey all safety rules and regulations. In the interest of the safety of the animals, staff, and volunteers, I acknowledge that Paws for Life K9 Rescue has the right to revoke volunteer privileges if these rules and regulations are not followed.
(d) To treat all Paws for Life staff, volunteers, the animals, property, tools, and equipment with respect and kindness. I will also return all Paws for Life property when my volunteer relationship ends.
(e) That either I or Paws for Life K9 Rescue can terminate this relationship at any time.
3. NO COMPENSATION. I agree to provide my Services without compensation. I will not be compensated for my efforts nor am I an agent or contractor of Paws for Life K9 Rescue. I agree that I am not and will not become an employee, partner, agent, contractor or principal of Paws for Life K9 Rescue upon execution of this agreement or the performance of the Services.
4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY OWN ACTS AND OMISSIONS. I hereby agree to be legally and financially responsible and will indemnify and hold Paws for Life K9 Rescue harmless for my own acts and omissions relating to the service I am voluntarily providing to Paws for Life K9 Rescue. I acknowledge that I am responsible for providing my own medical, liability, and auto insurance during my volunteer service. I understand that I am not covered by workers' compensation nor insured by Paws for Life K9 Rescue during the performance of my volunteer duties and tasks, including when driving a vehicle or transporting an animal.
5. ASSUMPTION OF RISK. I am voluntarily participating in the activities of Paws for Life K9 Rescue with full knowledge of the risks and dangers involved and hereby agree to accept any and all risks of injury, death, or damage to myself and/or my personal property. As a volunteer, I may come into contact with and interact with animals, and such work entails risk of personal injury due to proximity to animals, dangerous equipment, long-distance driving, and other considerations. These include, but are not limited to, being bitten, kicked, clawed, tripped, and possibly exposed to zoonotic diseases. I also understand that, should I elect to participate in the Paws for Life K9 Rescue program within the California State Prison system (or any other prison system), I assume the risk of injury within the prison. I understand and agree not to hold Paws for Life K9 Rescue, nor any of its officers, directors, assigns, representatives, agents, employees, attorneys and other volunteers responsible for any injury, up to and including death that I may sustain while volunteering. I understand that most prisons have a "no warning shots fired" policy and will not negotiate for my release in the event I am taken hostage. As with any program in the prison system, there is a risk of injury, rape, assault, battery and even death at the hands of the inmates while inside a prison. I understand the risk associated with volunteering, I agree to assume the risk and I agree not to hold Paws for Life K9 Rescue, or any of its officers, directors, assigns, representatives, agents, employees, attorneys and other volunteers responsible for any injury, including death, which I may sustain while volunteering.
6. PHOTO, VIDEO AND AUDIO RELEASE. I understand that as a volunteer of Paws for Life K9 Rescue, I may be recorded on film, video or other electronic recorded images, photographs or other media recordings of my name and likeness ("A-V Recordings") for any purpose related to furtherance of the objectives of Paws for Life K9 Rescue, including use in Paws for Life K9 Rescue media properties such as its newsletter and website. In particular, I grant Paws For Life K9 Rescue permission to copyright and use, reuse, publish, and republish A-V Recordings, without restriction as to changes or alterations, for art, advertising, trade, or
any other purpose. Further, I understand that all work product I create in my capacity as a volunteer for Paws for Life K9 Rescue will be the property of Paws for Life K9 Rescue and that Paws for Life K9 Rescue will have the sole right to use, sell, license, publish, or transfer any such work product, in any and all media formats, including print, mechanical and electronic formats. I will disclose any such work product to Paws for Life and assign all rights thereto to Paws For Life K9 Rescue.
7. RELEASE. As consideration for being permitted by Paws for Life K9 Rescue is to participate in activities and provide Services, I hereby agree that I, my assignees, heirs, distributees, guardians, and legal representatives will not make a claim against, sue, or attach the property of Paws for Life K9 Rescue for injury or damage resulting from any act, omission, negligence or other acts, howsoever caused, by any employee, agent, contractor, or representative of Paws for Life K9 Rescue as a result of my participation in activities and performance of the Services and any A-V Recordings. I hereby release Paws for Life K9 Rescue from all actions, claims, or demands that I, my assignees, heirs, distributees, guardians, and legal representatives now have or may hereafter have for injury or damage resulting from my participation in activities and performance of the Services and any A-V Recordings.
8. CONFIDENTIALITY. During my association with Paws for Life K9 Rescue and thereafter, I will keep confidential, refrain from disclosing to others, and use only in the performance of my volunteer duties, all confidential information of Paws for Life K9 Rescue that I develop or learn about during the course of my association. I understand that this agreement covers all confidential business and technical information and know-how of or about Paws For Life K9 Rescue which is not generally known to persons outside of Paws for Life K9 Rescue and which I have not been specifically authorized to disclose or use. Examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to, information on finances, membership and donors, volunteer performance, research and development, campaigns, outreach programs and information received from others that B has agreed to keep confidential.
9. I HAVE READ THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL RELINQUISH ALL CLAIMS OR ACTIONS KNOWN NOW OR IN THE FUTURE AGAINST PAWS FOR LIFE K9 RESCUE. I am of legal age and legally competent to sign this agreement. I am signing this agreement of my own free will without the influence of a Paws For Life K9 Rescue staff member. If, for any reason paragraph 12 below is deemed unenforceable and this Agreement is construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, it is expressly understood and agreed that I am hereby waiving and surrendering my rights pursuant to § 1542 of the Civil Code of the State of California, which provides as follows: "A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS [1] THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT [2] IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER [3] WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY."
10. ARBITRATION. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this agreement or its breach will be settled by arbitration in the State of California, even if it pre-dates the date of this agreement, and continuing as long as I continue to be a Volunteer and thereafter as is necessary to protect the interests and rights of Paws For Life K9 Rescue arising herein with respect to confidentiality and use of my work products and/or A-V material as authorized above.
11. TERM OF AGREEMENT. I acknowledge that this agreement will apply to the entire term of my volunteer relationship, starting with the date I first perform volunteer duties for Paws for Life K9 Rescue, even if it pre-dates the date of this agreement, and continuing as long as I continue to be a Volunteer and thereafter as is necessary to protect the interests and rights of Paws for Life K9 Rescue arising herein with respect to confidentiality and use of my work products and/or A-V material as authorized above.
12. GOVERNING LAW. This agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to conflicts of laws or principles. In the event that any statute, judicial precedent or other laws of the State of California shall require or otherwise dictate that the laws of another state or jurisdiction be applied in any such action or proceeding, it shall be superseded by this paragraph and the remaining laws of the State of California shall nonetheless be applied in such action or proceeding. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or determined by the aforementioned Court to be illegal or invalid, the validity of the remaining parts, terms or provisions shall not be affected thereby and said illegal or invalid part, term or provision shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.