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Since 1952, volunteers have been the backbone of Pet Haven and allowed us to keep our administrative costs down so public donations can go directly to animal care. When we did a conservative evaluation of the time our administrative volunteers give in a year it tallied just over $300,000!! That truly allows us to give more to the pets in crisis that come to us. Our volunteers are so valuable to us and Pet Haven is a family.
We provide training and support to a community of amazing volunteers who are committed to making Minnesota a better place for animals.
This could be you!
There are many ways to be involved, and we thank you ahead of time for your interest. You can find out more about available volunteer opportunities by clicking on the links below. And if you have a skill or interest you think Pet Haven can’t live without, we’d love to hear from you! Join our family today!
Read Pet Haven’s latest Volunteer Newsletter HERE or by clicking on the image below:
Foster Mentors provide support and guidance to foster volunteers and their cats. They are the portal for fosters to all the support and resources within Pet Haven. Foster Mentors also work closely with all members of Pet Haven’s Cat Division Team to make recommendations for improvements and be the conduit of communications to Pet Haven fosters.
Estimated time commitment: 5 hours per week
The transport volunteer transports animals or supplies to and from the vet, kennel, foster home, shelter, adoption events or other specified locations periodically transport foster pets assigned safely and comfortably and in a timely fashion to and from events or locations Transport animals to/from adoption events (“foster buddy”)Time varies with each situation. All transports can be completed in one day, most within an hour or two.
Estimated time commitment varies per job.
The Post Adoption Support Volunteer follows up with adopters to encourage happy tails success stories, and provides support and resources to keep adopted animals in their new homes.
Do you love a good deep cleaning? Do you want a hand in making places sparkle and shine? Put your skills to good use by volunteering with Pet Haven to help keep our physical space clean.
Cleaning Crew volunteers will perform a range of duties to keep our headquarters and office spaces clean.
Estimated time commitment: 1-2 hours weekly
Do you love to greet and talk with people? Put your skills to good use by volunteering with Pet Haven to help people feel welcome and have their questions answered.
Front desk volunteers will perform a range of duties to keep our fosters, volunteers, and guests feeling welcomed and heard.
Pet Haven now has a retail area located in the lobby of our headquarters. There are dog toys, bowls, and Pet Haven Merchandise like t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts.
This role is responsible for responding, coordinating, and processing surrender applications received from dog owners in need of foster placement for their animal. This volunteer will review the surrender applications, veterinary records, and additional documentation (i.e.- photos) and works with PH volunteers to determine if the dog is a good fit for fostering. This role is the main contact for a pet’s owner and is responsible for denying an application and accepting dogs if space and resources allow.
Review applications that have been approved for foster placement and work directly with owners to receive any additional information needed. Once all information is received and approved for the placement you will pass on information to the Intake Coordinator to post for foster.
This volunteer will check our Pet Haven Voicemail regarding cat or dog specific questions. This Volunteer will be in charge of calling the person back (if applicable), and answering their question to best of their knowledge. If necessary or applicable, the volunteer will direct the question to the appropriate staff or volunteer who can answer and address any questions or concerns the caller may have.
Providing foster care for a dog or a cat can be a very rewarding experience, but it has its share of responsibilities and challenges as well. Dogs and Cats come to Pet Haven through our Shelter Partners and from Crisis Owner Surrenders. While we try to gain as much information as we can on the health, behavior, and personality of each animal we bring in, there are often many unknowns. Fosters need to be willing to work within the animal’s timelines and needs, giving the animal the space to adjust to their new home and all the changes they have been through. This requires compassion, kindness, patience, and persistence. Experience with animals is helpful but not a requirement. Fostering can be an excellent way to determine if you are cut out for pet ownership, or if it is feasible to add another pet to your household.
Please tell us about yourself and if you would like to foster a cat or dog by filling out a foster application!
Pet Haven is looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about improving the lives of animals in need. We welcome individuals with all experiences, including: leadership, advocacy, development and fundraising, event management, strategic planning and growth, operations, public policy, technology, public relations, volunteer management, and community development. Ideal candidates will possess the following qualifications: ● Personal qualities of honesty, integrity, credibility, and accountability. ● Ability to cultivate relationships and build consensus among diverse individuals. ● A commitment to understanding and serving Pet Haven’s beneficiaries.
To read a position description, click here.
Please fill out a foster application by clicking on the link below! For more information about fostering, visit our Foster Page.
Foster Application
Do you have a physical shelter space?
Yes. We do have a physical space where you can volunteer but we generally do not house pets on-site. Our model is Foster-based. All of our animals live in private foster homes. We believe in couches not kennels for our Pet Haven Pets! If you’re looking for a volunteer position directly interfacing with our foster animals, consider becoming a Foster or a Foster Friend!
How old do I have to be to volunteer?
Positions require volunteers to be 18. Those under 18 can volunteer as a Foster Friend if accompanied by an adult.
Can I volunteer from home?
You bet! We have administrative and remote positions which allow you to help from the comfort of your sofa!
How do I find out more?
Once you submit your volunteer application, you’ll hear back from our Volunteer Coordinator to discuss how you can get involved.
How do you communicate with volunteers?
Pet Haven has a dedicated Volunteer Facebook page created just for volunteers to keep up with what’s going on. Once you submit your volunteer application, we’ll add you to the group. You’ll also receive our monthly E-Volunteer Newsletter.
Foster Friend Agreement
