HARP - Animal Shelter Volunteering (East Liberty)

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Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh's (HARP) Wildlife Rehabilitaion Center opened its doors in 1997 and has been growing ever since! We operate a fully licensed wildlife rehabilitation clinic, specializing in the care and treatment of injured, orphaned, and ill native Pennsylvania wildlife. The goal for all our patients is to release them back into the wild as healthy individuals.

Our staff has over 35 years of combined rehabilitation experience with wildlife, holding over 20 different licenses through the Pennsylvania Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, USDA, and US Fish and Wildlife Services. We are invested in continuing education and staying up to date on the best practices possible at our facility. Our clinic admits over 4,200 patients spanning over 140 different species every year, helping over 40,000 animals since opening!

Volunteering at our domestic shelter is an enriching experience that goes beyond lending a helping hand-it’s about fostering a sense of belonging and hope for those in need. As a volunteer, you become a vital part of our mission to create a safe and nurturing haven for individuals and families facing adversity. Join us in making a lasting impact, one act of kindness at a time, as we work together to build a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Your dedication transforms lives, and we invite you to be a beacon of change with us at the forefront of compassion.

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Opportunities:

To aid our Admissions department, volunteers are tasked with helping to schedule intake appointments, transcribe and prioritize voicemails from our Admissions phone lines, and answer basic questions about the intake process. Volunteers will also assist with performing intake appointments as appropriate, such as confirming appointment times, assisting customers with behavior profiles, and sometimes transporting animals in carriers from the Admissions lobby back to the veterinary technicians for triage. All volunteers will train alongside Admissions staff through shadowing and observation and will have access to webinars and other continued learning materials. Only a two-hour shift is required, though a four-hour shift is preferred!

Volunteers will assist our Directors of Leadership and Legacy Giving with basic administrative duties, designed to acknowledge and celebrate those who decide to donate to HARP! This role’s tasks include writing thank you letters, making thank you calls, and helping with large scale mailings. All volunteers will train with either our Director of Leadership or Director of Legacy Giving, and HARP-specific policies and procedures surrounding donations. Only a two-hour shift is required.

Ellie’s Pet Pantry is one of our vital Pet Support Services programs, which aims to help alleviate the financial burden of owning a pet by providing free pet food on a monthly basis. Volunteering with our Pet Pantry is two-faceted: each week, volunteers will assist our Pet Retention Coordinator with returning voicemails and emails and answering basic questions about the Pet Pantry. On the last Wednesday of each month, instead of completing administrative tasks, the volunteer will assist either our Pet Retention Coordinator or our Director of Community Programs with the monthly food distribution between 8:30-11:30am. Only a two-hour shift is required.

Greeter volunteers work alongside our Adoptions staff to help manage traffic flow in the Adoptions lobby. Duties may include directing folks to the medical clinic or other areas of the shelter, answering basic questions about our adoptions procedures and policies, and of course, greeting patrons as they come through the door! All volunteers will train with our Adoptions staff and be well-versed in HARP-specific procedures.

This role assists most of our departments by helping out with basic tasks that need to be done daily. This can include work such as laundry, dishes, washing cages, general cleaning around the shelter, and other duties as assigned. Shelter Operations volunteers are some of the most vital volunteers on site - we simply can’t do what we do without a steady supply of clean towels, blankets, and food/water bowls! Volunteers will be trained in basic cleaning procedures, as well as HARP-specific protocols.

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Requirements:

• Submit Application
• Act 34 clearance (free to volunteers)
• Fear Free certification (free to volunteers)
• In-person orientation - this is where you’ll receive a t-shirt, name badge, and a brief tour of your respective space; also usually where we’ll officially get you on the schedule
• Age restriction: volunteers 18 and older may volunteer independently. 16 and 17, must have an adult on site with them. Children younger than 16 are not permitted to volunteer for safety reasons, but we have plenty of other programs for you!
• Time requirement: 2 hours per week for at least 6 months - if unable to commit to the same time weekly, ask us about other options!
  • Summer-only/short-term/drop-in volunteers - we have lots of options for you! Contact us to learn more.
• Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh reserves the right to decline any volunteer application for any reason.

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Interested? Email volunteer@humaneanimalrescue.org!