Please be sure to READ all of the information below before completing a Volunteer Application form! Once you have read the information and understand the process and expectations, please complete the form, and click the submit button at the bottom! There is a $15 New Volunteer Registration fee that helps to cover the following:

- cost of Volunteer Orientation and subsequent Training

- Volunteer appreciation events and programs (including our new High Five Volunteer Incentive Program!)

- and last, but not least, a Five Acres Animal Shelter Volunteer t-shirt that you receive at the end of your first shift/Shadow Training!


Five Acres Animal Shelter has a small dedicated staff that oversees the daily operations of our animal shelter. We rely on our volunteers, who donate many talents, to help us provide the best care for the animals entrusted to us, to assist with our programs, to spread awareness of our mission, and to raise funds to support our organization.


Why become a volunteer at Five Acres Animal Shelter?

• Everything you do helps the animals in our care

• Work side-by side with people who share similar interests

• Get away from your daily grind

• Be involved in the community

• Learn new skills

• Relieve stress – studies show that being with animals can lower your blood pressure

• No one will ever greet you the way a dog or cat does!


Please read the following information to make sure you are a good fit for Five Acres and that Five Acres is a good fit for you!


- You must be 16 or older to volunteer at the Five Acres – Pralle location

- You must be 18 or older to volunteer at the Five Acres – Randolph location

- Must enjoy working with animals and people; for dog walkers, you need to be comfortable and have experience walking and handling large dogs

- You must be gentle and compassionate with animals

- You can commit to donating a minimum of 6 hours per month

- Recognize that, while volunteering at an animal shelter is rewarding, it is also a great amount of work. Team Members will rely on you for help when you sign up for shifts- whether it be for walking or cleaning kennels or floors or laundry, etc., we appreciate flexibility and working together toward a common goal!


PLEASE NOTE: Our most needed Volunteering opportunities at Five Acres can include strenuous activity. While the following requirements may not apply to all volunteer opportunities, some of the listed requirements and areas may apply to you and your specific preferred volunteer opportunity. For specific opportunities where physical requirements are required, volunteers must have the ability/willingness to:

• follow oral and written instructions

• establish effective working relationship with staff, other volunteers, and the public

• perform moderate/hard manual labor, including deep cleaning and lifting up to 50 lbs.

• function while being exposed to the shelter environment (i.e. constant noise/barking

• animal hair and dander, cleaning chemical odors, etc.)

• safely and efficiently operate assigned equipment after appropriate instruction (washer, dryer, broom, mop, water hose, high pressure washer, disinfectant (equipment used depends on volunteer assignment)


If you are willing and able to meet the needs listed above, and have some flexibility in your schedule to be able to commit to a minimum of 6 hrs/month, please complete a Volunteer Application! Thank you for your interest in helping the cats and dog in our care while working alongside our Team Members!


***** If you need to complete Court-Ordered Community Service, we are accepting limited numbers at this time. If that is the case, we request that you fully complete the area of the application that asks for information specific to your court ordered service. If you do not complete this information or notify us that you are here for court ordered hours on your application, but come to us at a later date needing us to sign off on hours, we will be unable to do so. If you choose to complete your hours at Five Acres, you must commit to at least 2 shifts per week until your hours are complete.


Next steps:

1) Complete the application below. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirming your application submission with a link to process your New Volunteer Registration fee. Thank you in advance! *If you do not process the Registration Fee, you will not get the invite for Orientation, so please process your payment before you can sign up for Orientation!*

2) Please give us a few days to process all applications. After we review your application to make sure we are a good fit for you and you are a good fit for Five Acres, we will extend an invitation to attend a Volunteer Orientation (at this time, all Orientations are being scheduled via Zoom – dates and times will be shared with you to choose from).

3) Attend Orientation at your chosen day and time through Zoom- we ask that camera and mic are both on!

3) After Orientation, we will send you instructions on how to access your Volunteer Page, where you can sign up for volunteer shifts and get started!


Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Five Acres Animal Shelter!


Name and Address

Emergency Contact

Please list someone who we may contact in the event of an emergency.



Demographic Information

Preference

We welcome volunteers to work with dogs and cats, or choose one or the other.... However, to get you started, we ask that you choose which you'd like to start with first! We will discuss this more in Orientation as well. If you are not interested in working directly with animals and would like to help out with Front Desk/Reception, AniMeals, Maintenance Crew, please choose neither.



Court Ordered Community Service

If you have Court Ordered Community Service to complete, I ask that you complete all fields below. Failure to complete this section in full with result in you not being able to complete hours here. Thank you.



Read and Agree to the following:

Terms and Conditions

In consideration of this opportunity to volunteer for the Five Acres Animal Shelter, I agree to the following Terms and Conditions:

I will abide by the Mission Statement, rules, regulations, policies and programs of FAAS while I am a volunteer.

I agree to be supervised by a FAAS employee or designee and will work as a team member with all volunteers.

I will treat all animals, other volunteers, and the general public with dignity and respect.

If I will be providing foster care for any of the Five Acres Animal Shelter animals in my home, I consent to a FAAS representative visiting my home to observe the animals and their living quarters

I have accurately and truthfully completed this Volunteer Application and Agreement.

I understand that all FAAS volunteers must be at least 16 years of age to volunteer at Pralle and 18 years of age to volunteer at Randolph .

I understand that my profile may be deleted after 6 months of inactivity.

If accepted as a volunteer for Five Acres Animal Shelter, a non-profit corporation, I realize I am not a paid employee and am not covered by any workers' compensation insurance or any other insurance or guaranteed medical payment coverage which would compensate me should I be injured while on the premises of the Five Acres Animal Shelter or off the premises while volunteering for the Five Acres Animal Shelter.


As a volunteer with Five Acres, I recognize and acknowledge that volunteering at an animal shelter can be a very physically demanding task and might bother some people with allergies. While some of these requirements and areas may not apply to me and my specific volunteer opportunity, I understand I might be asked to do the following and understand the risk involved.


I recognize that in handling animals there exists a risk of injury including physical harm caused by the animals. On behalf of myself, my heirs, personal representatives and executors, I hereby fully release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless forever the Five Acres Animal Shelter, its corporation officers, director, board of directors, agents, servants, employees and other volunteers from any and all things, acts, omission or conditions which may cause me damage or injury or any other problems in any way connected with my services for FAAS, including, but not limited to, animal bites or scratches, accidents, injuries, property damages or veterinary fees. I understand that I cannot be covered under Five Acres Animal Shelter's insurance and I must have my own health insurance provider. I know of no medical or other condition which would prevent me from volunteering at Five Acres Animal Shelter. I also understand that I am a volunteer, and cannot represent the shelter in any legal or incident matters.


I give Five Acres Animal Shelter authority to seek emergency treatment, if necessary in the event of an accident. I understand that in the event of an accident while performing volunteer services, I will not be covered by Workman's Compensation for medical costs. I fully understand that I am responsible for all medical costs in the event of an accident. I understand that because I may handle animals, it is important to have a tetanus vaccination prior to volunteering and to discuss the importance of being vaccinated with my physician. I understand that whatever decision I make is at my own risk and if my vaccination is not current, I release Five Acres Animal Shelter from all responsibility and liability in the event of personal injury and any complications as the result of me not pursuing the matter further. Your safety is the primary concern at Five Acres Animal Shelter. All volunteers MUST read and accept the terms below prior to using any chemicals and/or cleaning agents. Proper chemical and cleaning agent dilution and application are essential to an effective cleaning regiment and necessary for the safety of persons using the chemicals. I understand the importance of properly using the chemicals and cleaning agents used here at the animal shelter.


Checking "I agree" indicates that I have read, understand, and agree to the above and am OVER 18 years of age (while we accept 16-17 year old volunteers at Pralle, clicking the Accept button implies the parent/guardian of the child registering to volunteer has read these terms and conditions in full, has discussed this with their child, and can say with certainty that their child understands the contents.

________________________________________________


I certify that all information on this application is true to the best of my knowledge. I understand that filling out a volunteer application does not guarantee my acceptance into the volunteer program.