Making a difference one pet at a time

The problem of pet overpopulation belongs to the community as a whole, not just to the people paid to work at the animal shelter.  Without volunteers, the quality of life of pets in the animal shelter would be much lower.  Without volunteers, they would seldom be taken out for walks, bathed, or just socialized in general. While paid staff of the animal shelter meet the physical needs of the pets in the shelter, our volunteers provide all the extras that help the pets get adopted!

Volunteers spend many hours giving individual attention to the dogs and cats and doing adoption outreach. Outreach assignments include showcasing our pets at offsite adoption events around the town and county, participating in other shelter events, and serving as adoption guides at the shelter.

Ways to help

• • Adoption guide
  • Cat chores
  • Cat Socialization
  • Dog kennel chores
  • Dog walking
  • Foster
  • Grounds work
  • Offsite adoption events
  • Office help

Getting started

Minimum requirements: you must be 16 or older and pass a background check.   

The shelter uses an online volunteer software called Better Impact, which allows you to go through an initial orientation and training, as well as sign up for volunteer opportunities. Once you have completed the online registration and application in Better Impact, you will be able to begin your volunteer journey with us.

1. Go to http://bttr.im/gtfx5 and complete the online registration and application.
2. You will be prompted to send the background check permission forms to shawn.gunnin@georgetown.org. (The forms mention fingerprinting, but you can disregard that portion.)
3. After you receive confirmation of acceptance, you will be able to log in and complete the online orientation and then sign up for the shelter tour.

If you have questions, feel free to contact us at (512) 930-3592.  April Haughey is the shelter manager, and Shawn Gunnin assists with volunteer coordination.