Walking Dogs
It is a great way for you and the dogs to get exercise. Our dogs spend their entire time in their kennels while in our shelter. Staff will take them out for exercise, but this is an as-time-allows task. We depend entirely on our volunteers to give the dogs a break from their kennels and get some one on one time for exercise. You are welcome to take them to our outdoor fenced-in area, our indoor playroom, walk them around town, or take them down to Riverside Park, which is accessible from the Shelter. Volunteers can choose who they would like to spend time with and for how long.
Doggy Day Out
It is a great way to get to know our dogs in a way we don’t always have time for. It is also a great opportunity to promote the dogs and show them off to potential adopters. You can take them home, visit parks, take them for a pup cup, or even to a meeting at your work! Staff will need to choose which dogs are approved for this type of activity – some may be too scared, have a history of darting off, or are just too young. The only place we will restrict is dog parks – there is too much risk for exposure to disease and for things to not go well in this environment.
Doggy Slumber Party
Spend even more time with a dog and throw them a doggy slumber party! This can be for 1 or 2 nights. Give them a break from their concrete bedrooms and offer them a cozy snuggle. Maybe find out their preference for rom-com, True Crime, or Sitcom TV! We will provide you with everything you need to make the party as enjoyable as possible. Speak with staff on which dogs would work well for your home. If you have other dogs in the home, we will require a meet and greet first.
Enrich the Dogs and Cats
This could involve simply spending some cuddle time with a pet of your choosing. You can take the dogs to our outdoor fenced-in yard or indoor playroom to toss some toys around. Tease some kitties with a teaser toy. Teach cats or dogs a trick for a treat. We also have several special in-kennel enrichment options for volunteers to give out too – such as stuffed kongs, snuffle mats, or hide n seek fun
House Keeping
The house keeping duties are never finished, or at least for more than a few minutes! We can always use help with dishes, laundry, sweeping and mopping, poop scooping, window and wall washing, etc.
Kennel Help
Our staff always appreciate the help of volunteers for kennel help. Our main kennel cleaning activities occur between 9am and Noon Monday through Friday. Volunteers can help walk the dogs during this time, fill water and food bowls, clean cat boxes, poop scoop, etc. We will teach you what you will need to know – especially to avoid disease transmission between animals. Volunteers would need to be 18 years or older. This type of volunteer help isn’t for the faint of heart. It is physically demanding and requires following specific procedures already in place to keep the animals as healthy as possible. If you are interested in helping this way, please speak to staff directly. Volunteers will be strictly limited to adoptable animal kennels.
Event Support
Throughout the year, we may have events that we host that require some help from our community. If you are interested in volunteering for events, you can watch our Facebook page for call-to-action posts or contact us and let us know so we can reach out to you whenever we are in need of event volunteers.
Scrub a Dub Dog in a Tub
Help the pups show off how pretty they can be with a good scrub and brush out. If you are a nail trim dog whisperer, even better! We have the supplies you would need, including a walk-in dog tub, shampoos, brushes of many types, nail clippers, towels, and even a pet dryer. We highly suggest that volunteers wear clothes they don’t mind getting wet and dirty!
Rushville Animal Shelter 