Group Volunteering

The HSMC is thankful for the many volunteers who help us help the animals. Below are a few different ways to show your support.

· Organize a supply drive

· Visit the Shelter

· Help sell concessions at the VT football games

· Other ways to show support

 

Organize a Supply Drive

HSMC is a private non-profit organization and as such we rely on the generosity of our supporters.  We are always in need of dog and cat food, non-clumping cat litter, bleach, laundry detergent, paper towels, etc. Supply drives are a great way to support the shelter and help the animals.  It can be done at your workplace, church, school, neighborhood and community. For tips on how to set up a supply drive visit aspca.org .  For more information please email info@hsmcshelter.com

 

Visiting the Shelter:

This page is for group volunteering.  If you're an individual or student wishing to help by volunteering, please visit our Individual Volunteer Opportunities or Student Volunteering Opportunities pages respectively for more info.

We require all shelter volunteers to complete a Volunteer Application and Liability Waiver before being able to play with the animals. These documents are available both at the shelter and here online for your convenience. If you would like to save time during your visit, you may print them off in the links below and bring them with you.

If you are thinking of putting together a group to come volunteer, please be aware that at this time we are only accepting group volunteering on Fridays and Saturdays from 12pm to 4pm. Please plan ahead and sign up early.

· Group Volunteer Hours-

Friday and Saturday 12:00pm - 4:00pm (1 group from 12-2pm and 1 group from 2-4pm)

We depend on our volunteers to keep our animals happy until they find new homes! Due to limited parking and the size of the shelter, all groups interested in coming to the shelter must consist of no more than 4 group members at the shelter at one time.  If you have a group containing more than 4 members, we require that members be split into separate shifts that contain 4 or fewer people.  A designated group leader must pre-register to reserve a block of time on our calendar and provide us with contact information.  We understand this may be inconvenient or difficult for some groups and apologize.  We urge large groups to consider other means of supporting the shelter such as supply drives, bake sales, car washes etc.   

Volunteering at the shelter consists of socializing our cats and dogs.  You may choose to play with or walk the dogs, play with the cats, or do it all!  We have a small, paid staff to take care of the cleaning, feeding, and bathing of the animals.

To view available group times, or to sign your group up, please click here:

· Volunteers Under 16 years of age-

Children under 16 are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent at all times.  You cannot drop them off and then pick them up a few hours later.  You must be 18 or older to walk a dog.

For answers to many general questions about volunteering, please visit our Volunteer FAQ page!

Help Sell Concessions at the VT Football Games

Last year over $15,000 was raised to help support the animals at the shelter and we could not do it without the help of our dedicated volunteers and student groups who help fill in. For more information and the schedule of games we need volunteers for please click here VT Football Concessions.

 

Other Ways to Show Support:

· Car Wash- A car wash is a fun way to spend an afternoon! Money raised will support the HSMC shelter animals and our spay neuter program.  

· Bake Sale-   Bake sale are a great way to raise money for the HSMC. A bake sale to raise funds for our spay neuter program would be a huge help to the HSMC...and the animals!

· "Biscuit Bake"- similar to a bake sale but all the tasty treat would be for animals. You can find many wonderful treat recipes on the internet.

· Pennies for Puppies- We all have pennies laying around! A penny drive is a great way to raise money for the animals!

• · Yard Sale- Clean out your closets and raise money for the animals!

· Pet toy drive- Collecting and donating pet toys to your local shelter is a wonderful service project to be involved in. The toys will help keep the animals in the shelter entertained while they are in their cages, and will give them much-needed exercise and help redirect their energies. 

· Looking for a fun seasonal project? Making animal-themed holiday cards and selling them to family and friends is a great way to raise money for your local animal shelter.  Another fun idea courtesy of ASPCA.org.

Let your imagination run wild! The animals will thank you for all your hard work!!