Berkeley Parents Network: Volunteer Jobs Working with Animals

Berkeley Parents Network

Volunteer Jobs Working with Animals

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Charity, Donations & Recycling > Volunteer Jobs Working with Animals

April 2009

My son wants to volunteer with animals this summer - especially marine life, but any animal care would certainly be considered. Any ideas in the East Bay? Thanks.

I ran across Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue Center while helping my son research volunteer opportunities. I don't know much about them, but check out their website: http://yuwr.org/ - looks pretty cool to me! anon

Check with the pet shelters in Berkeley and Oakland. I don't know the age requirements, but the Oakland program has a class you take to learn to walk their dogs (could provide training for a future afterschool/summer job). Lindsey Museum in Walnut Creek trains young docents and also have a rescue animal division where they take care of injured/sick animals, and rescue rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. There is the Marine Mammal Center near the Golden Gate, but that work is can be dangerous, and I am not sure they let teens train. kl

A recent post in response to this question referred to ''the Oakland program.'' It's important to know that there are two animal shelters in Oakland: the Oakland city animal shelter on 29th Avenue and the East Bay SPCA in Oakland (near the Coliseum). Unless the policy has changed, the city shelter has different restrictions for under-18 volunteers. You should check with each separately. Dog walking mom

August 2008

My 7 year old daughter loves animals. We would love to find a place where she can volunteer a few hours a week working with animals but don't know where to look. Does anybody have any experience with this, or any suggestions? Thanks! anon

The working farm in Tilden Park's Nature Area takes volunteers on weekends. Also, the Oakland SPCA will allow kids to volunteer along with their parents.

Try ARF in Walnut Creek, or any local animal shelter. Not sure of the age requirements, but these animals need socialization to help them get good homes. Kudos to your daughter for wanting to help animals, and to you for encouraging her!

P.S. If you're looking for a vacation, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, is a fabulous place! I go annually to volunteer. Animal lover

I can't answer your specific question about places to volunteer, but in terms of ''where to look'' you might check out VolunteerMatch.com. You can search for local volunteer options by category (incl. work with animals), and by age group (kids, adults, seniors). volunteer

I don't know where you're located, but Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek trains volunteers for the wildlife hospital. Also in Walnut Creek is ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation). They may accept volunteers for caring for dogs and cats. Leslie

Have you tried talking to Stanley at the Little Farm in Tilden? I'm not sure if the starting age is 7 or 9, but the girls work on the farm taking care of all of the animals. crystal

2001

My 12 year old daughter would like to find a volunteer job opportunity working with dogs. She would be happy to help socialize, train, or care for any type of dog, young or old. We are currently a foster family for the Humane society, but she would like to work with someone involved in the dog care, breeding, or training world. Some of the organizations we have contacted only work with older adolescents or adults. We live in Marin, but are able to come to the East Bay. Any suggestions are much appreciated! Susan

Does anyone know of a summer program or daycamp where kids can work with animals--preferably with cats and dogs? My 12 year old daughter would be very interested in a program like this. Also, are there volunteer opportunities for a 12 year old to work with animals, where a parent/adult wouldn't have to accompany her each time? The Berkeley Humane Society, for example, requires an adult escort. Thanks Joan

this is in response to the parent who asked about summer programs for her 12 yr old daughter where she could work w/ animals. the sfspca (maddie center) offers cat camps and dog camps. they're offered as day camps in one week sessions. they're extremely popular and enrollment is limited so it's done on a lottery basis. i suggest applying early. my son was fortunate enough to get to do a one week cat camp session in the summer of 99. although he was older (13) than all the others and felt that most of the activities were directed towards the younger crowd, he LOVED the time spent with the cats. he learned a lot about cats, watched a spay operation and spent time petting cats. i would definitely recommend it.

as far as volunteering goes, you might want to check with some kennels in your area to see if they would let her help with cleaning up the kennels or walking the dogs that are boarded. also check w/ pet adoption organizations like the milo foundation or community concern for cats. good luck. Pam

The San Francisco SPCA has a summer day camp for kids who want to learn more about and be around cats and dogs. I don't know how early it fills up. Nina

My daughter (12) and I volunteer at the Oakland SPCA. We took two dog training classes after which we could walk and socialize the dogs and partecipate in misc. events. The SPCA requires that I'm volunteering at the same time my daughter does, but we pretty much do our own things since she is more interested in dogs and I like cats better. She's not allowed to partecipate in the dog grooming, but cat grooming is ok. We have done it now for a couple of months and it has been great. Check them out at their site http://www.oaklandspca.org/ and feel free to contact me through email. Giulia

Did you try Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael? I used to be a volunteer dog walker there. I don't know how whether they let kids do it. Ariel Gilbert is the volunteer coordinator. Alysson

Guide Dogs for the Blind in, I believe, San Rafael sometimes needs people, including teenagers, to foster puppies in training. This is quite a commitment and usually requires some help from the rest of the family, but it is socially useful work and supposedly fun and rewarding. Melanie

I am a volunteer with Hopalong Animal Rescue, a not for profit animal rescue group in the East Bay, primarily Oakland and Berkeley. We rescue dogs and cats from the Oakland Animal Shelter who are at risk for euthanasia. We are always in need of volunteers, adults and teenagers who can handle dogs at our mobile pet adoptions that are held weekly throughout the Bay Area. We are also desperate for more foster homes for dogs and cats, pups and kittens. If anyone is interested in helping out please go onto our website at www.hopalong.org and check us out. Then if you would like to help email us at www.info at hopalong.org. If anyone needs community service hours for school requirements maybe this would count. Please ask your friends, neighbors and students and let us know. Thanks. Kathy (8/00)

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society has a strong volunteer program. Call 845-3652 or check www.bhumane.org (from the May/June 1999 Berkeley High School PTSA Newsletter)

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