Volunteers are a very important part of the Humane Society of Parkersburg!  Whether you have an hour a week or can join us every day, we welcome you as a volunteer.  And whether you spend time in the Shelter with the animals or help with activities and events outside the Shelter, it all helps us help homeless animals.   

Our volunteer motto is "Doing What Matters" and was inspired by one of our volunteers who after trying to decide one day whether she should clean her house or come to the shelter and walk dogs, decided that she should do something that really mattered.  She was soon walking her favorite Shelter dog and brightening their day.  Hence, doing what matters!  

And there are so many ways you too can do something that matters.  One of the most popular activities is obviously working with animals in our Shelter.  We love it and our volunteers do as well!  And the animals just can't get enough of our volunteers!  Since we receive almost 4500 animals a year, volunteers are priceless in not only helping our animals find new homes but also in helping them to be happy and healthy while in our Shelter.

We also recognize that some people may care deeply about our animals but just don't feel like they can come visit the Shelter.  Yes, we understand it can be an emotional experience.  So for those people, we have ways you can help too!  Check out the Volunteer Opportunities to learn more about all the ways you can volunteer your services, expertise and energy.

To become a volunteer, you just need to complete a Volunteer Application and return it to the Shelter or complete it on-line and our Volunteer Coordinator will receive it via e-mail.  Through the application you will tell us how you would like to help.

We do ask that each volunteer attend our Volunteer Orientation program.  Even if you don't plan on spending time in the Shelter, we think it's beneficial for you to understand what we do and learn about the Shelter itself.  Our orientations include a discussion of volunteer opportunities as well as an overview of what we do, a tour, cat and dog handling presentations and supervised hands-on time with our animals.  This will require a few hours of your time but we believe it is well worth it.  Upon completion of the orientation sessions, you should know more about us, know your way around our Shelter, and feel comfortable handling the dogs and cats on your own or with help from our Staff. 

Volunteers are welcome in the Shelter during our business hours and also on Sundays, when we are closed from 12:30 to 3:00.  Also we normally have volunteer time on Thursday evenings at 6:30 (when we are closed) when a group of our volunteers gather to walk every dog in the Shelter to give them an extra potty break.  If you work all day this is a great opportunity for you to join us. 

We hope you'll consider becoming a volunteer -- and do something that matters for homeless animals in our community.