602.980.1658
DONATE

Volunteer With Us

RESCUE STREET · VOLUNTEER

Volunteer With
Rescue Street

Every animal who comes into Rescue Street’s care needs people working on their behalf. Some provide a foster home—a temporary place to live while an animal prepares for adoption. Others arrange appointments, answer applications, organize supplies, raise funds, or help an adoptable pet reach the right person.

Apply to Volunteer Explore the roles ↓

Rescue Street’s work includes helping shelter dogs at risk of euthanasia, many of whom need medical care, time to recover, or additional support before adoption. Taking an animal into our care begins a commitment that continues through rehabilitation, placement, and support for the people caring for them. Volunteers make that work possible.

We welcome people with a range of skills and experience, including those entirely new to animal rescue. Writing, organizing, teaching, photography, customer service, and event planning all have a place here. Many administrative and creative tasks can be done from home, while other opportunities involve animals, transportation, or community events.

FIND YOUR PLACE

Ways to Get Involved

Fundraising

Help secure the funding and supplies our animals depend on. This can include developing fundraising ideas, researching and writing grants, approaching potential sponsors, requesting donations, and maintaining relationships with supporters.

We also need help tracking and collecting pledges—promises to donate toward a particular animal’s rescue or care. Volunteers record those commitments, provide donation instructions, follow up with supporters, and help keep donation records accurate.

Social Media, Storytelling & Outreach

Help people get to know our animals and discover ways to support them. Volunteers write introductions for newly rescued pets, adoption profiles, requests for foster homes, and posts about volunteer opportunities and other needs.

This work includes gathering photos, videos, and updates from caregivers; creating graphics and short videos; and sharing posts across social media platforms and community groups. Clear, accurate descriptions help prospective adopters understand each animal’s personality and needs.

Events & Community Engagement

Help plan and run adoption events, fundraisers, and community activities. We need volunteers to coordinate locations, equipment, transportation, participating animals, and the people caring for them.

At events, volunteers help with setup and breakdown, welcome visitors, answer questions, assist with applications, and handle animals according to their training and assigned responsibilities. There are also opportunities to host special activities, create promotional materials, take photos and videos, and share updates before and after each event.

Records, Data Entry & Website Information

Help keep the information our team relies on organized, accurate, and current. Volunteers update animal profiles, foster and volunteer information, applications, documents, and website listings.

This work helps the team find what it needs, follow through on requests, and give the public reliable information about our animals. It is a good fit for people who enjoy details, consistency, and keeping things organized.

Foster Coordination & Support

Help foster families get the information and practical support they need. Volunteers check in with caregivers, gather updates and photos, help arrange supplies, and coordinate appointments and transportation.

When a foster reports a health or behavioral concern, coordinators gather the relevant information and connect them with the appropriate team member or professional. Following a request through to resolution is an important part of helping both the animal and the foster succeed.

Foster University & Volunteer Education

Help us develop practical education for the people caring for rescue animals. Foster University will bring together resources on topics such as getting started with fostering, helping a new animal settle in, basic pet photography, pet first aid, managing multiple dogs, and introducing cats and dogs.

Volunteers can help research, write, design, and organize materials; present online or in person; or support learning through phone calls and video meetings. We also welcome qualified professionals and experienced educators who can teach or review specialized topics.

Priority List Frontline

Help coordinate the steps involved in bringing an at-risk shelter dog into rescue care. A shelter’s priority list identifies animals who urgently need placement, including dogs at risk of euthanasia.

Volunteers share accurate information about these dogs, help identify suitable foster homes, gather records, and prepare new fosters for an approved placement. Once Rescue Street has authorized an intake, volunteers may coordinate transportation, help the dog settle in, collect initial photos and observations, and ensure the foster is connected with ongoing support.

This work requires close communication because an urgent placement involves several people and decisions. Volunteers work within Rescue Street’s current intake capacity and approval process.

Adoption Coordination

Help prospective adopters move from an initial inquiry to a well-informed adoption decision. Volunteers respond to questions, follow up on applications, assist with screening, and coordinate conversations and meetings with animals and their caregivers.

They also help organize approved adoption paperwork and placement arrangements, and connect adopters with support when needed. Thoughtful communication helps people understand an animal’s needs and whether the match will work for their household.

Volunteer Coordination

Help new and existing volunteers find useful, manageable ways to contribute. This includes responding to applications, learning about people’s interests and availability, arranging orientation, and connecting volunteers with appropriate assignments and team members.

Coordinators also help organize coverage, check in on progress, and arrange handoffs when someone’s availability changes. Helping a new volunteer get started and stay connected strengthens the whole team.

Transportation, Supplies & Equipment

Help animals and essential supplies get where they need to go. Volunteers transport animals to approved foster homes, veterinary appointments, and events; collect donations; and deliver supplies to caregivers.

We also need help organizing inventory, preparing supplies for new foster placements, and managing equipment used at events. Drivers and helpers coordinate with the team so animals, supplies, and equipment arrive safely and as expected.

ONE TEAM, SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

How We Work Together

Our volunteer roles overlap because rescue work depends on people supporting one another. You might primarily help with social media and occasionally photograph an event, or coordinate fosters while helping arrange a supply delivery.

We ask volunteers to communicate clearly, take ownership of the tasks they accept, and work with others to keep responsibilities covered. When help is needed, the first available volunteer with the appropriate training can step in. Keeping shared information current and confirming handoffs allows another person to continue the work.

Tell us what you can realistically commit to, whether that is a recurring responsibility, a specific project, or occasional event help. If your availability changes or you need assistance, let the team know early so we can arrange coverage.

Some assignments require relevant experience, training, or authorization. Volunteers should be comfortable asking questions and checking information before answering on behalf of the rescue.

THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU HERE

Ready to Join Us?

Complete our volunteer application and tell us about your interests, skills, availability, and the kinds of work you would like to help with. If you are new to rescue or unsure where you fit, include that too.

Your contribution can help a foster get support, an adopter find a suitable companion, or our team complete the work that makes another rescue possible.

Apply to Volunteer

  Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Please sign up for our newsletter for animal related tips and tricks and to get updates on our animals & events!

X