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Conference Hours: Friday, October 31st – Session hours 9:00am-3:30pm | Saturday, November 1st- Session hours: 8:30am-3:30pm | Trade Show Hours: Friday October 31st, 9:30am-4:30pm | Friday, October 31st – Networking reception – 3:30pm-4:30pm | Saturday November 1st- 9:30am-2:30pm

Volunteer Opportunites

Volunteer Postings

Toronto Humane Society

Greater Toronto Area

The dedication and support of our 400+ volunteers help us to continue to Improve the Lives of Animals while strengthening the human-animal bond in the community. Our various volunteer positions allow for an opportunity to help animals in need, learn about proper care, and give back to the community in significant ways.

We are very fortunate to have a strong group of volunteers who dedicate their time to us. This means that we don’t always have openings available.

When we need more volunteers, we will post links to applications in the online volunteer opportunity descriptions. This usually only happens once or twice a year because of the large number of applications we receive. We thank you for your patience in this process and welcome and encourage you to apply when positions become available.

Opportunities

Feline Care

Feline Care volunteers assist with a range of responsibilities which directly attribute to the efficient and effective daily operation of Toronto Humane Society. This includes ensuring animal housing is clean, sanitary, and comfortable and providing the felines in our care with professional, conscientious, and compassionate care through the implementation of positive reinforcement training and socialization.

Canine Care

Canine Care volunteers assist with a range of responsibilities which directly attribute to the efficient and effective daily operation of Toronto Humane Society. This includes ensuring animal housing is clean, sanitary, and comfortable and providing the canines in our care with professional, conscientious, and compassionate care through the implementation of positive reinforcement training and socialization.

Special Species Care

Special Species Care volunteers assist with a range of responsibilities which directly attribute to the efficient and effective daily operation of Toronto Humane Society. This includes ensuring animal housing is clean, sanitary, and comfortable and providing the special species in our care with professional, conscientious, and compassionate care through the implementation of positive reinforcement training and socialization.

Team Experience Day Volunteers

Team Experience Day Volunteers assist with a range of responsibilities which directly attribute to the efficient and effective operation of Toronto Humane Society’s Team Experience Day events. This includes running building tours, facilitating animal interactions and leading volunteer activities for visiting teams that have book this event.

If you are a corporate group who would like to attend a Team Experience Day, please visit this page for more information.

Pet Parent Support Network Volunteers

Do you prefer working from home? This might be the volunteer opportunity for you! Our Pet Parent Support Network is fully supported by a group of dedicated volunteers. Tasks may include speaking with community members on the phone, responding to email inquiries and pulling reports. 

Volunteer Requirements

  • You must be over 18-years old
  • All volunteer roles, unless otherwise specified during the onboarding process, require commitment to a weekly shift for a minimum of 6 months
  • All interested candidates must fill out an application. Only successful applicants will be contacted for an interview
  • We provide theoretical and hands-on training to all volunteers. Multiple-choice testing and AODA Customer Service Standard training are included in the training
  • As part of our health and safety protocol, we strongly recommend that all volunteers have a current tetanus shot

Apply

If you are interested in volunteering with us, please fill out our application form here.  

We onboard based on operational needs and availability, we will reach out to you when a role that matches your application becomes available. Due to a high volume of interest, we have limited availability.  

Questions?

If you have any questions please email  [email protected]

Toronto Wildlife Centre

Greater Toronto Area

Toronto Wildlife Centre provides training for volunteer positions, so it is not always necessary to have experience. Commitment and the right attitude can go a long way!

For more specific volunteer work:

High School Co-op

Community Service

Internships

University Placements

Read more

Toronto Cat Rescue

Greater Toronto Area

Foster Home

Become a foster parent to cats of all ages! Click here for more information.

Transport Coordinator

Transport coordinators play a key role in fulfilling transportation needs for shelters, TCR facilities, foster homes, clinics and retail adoption centres.

Click here for more information.

Volunteer Centre Representative

Be the face of TCR to our donors and volunteers, providing great customer service at our Etobicoke Volunteer Centre.

Click here for more information.

Assistant Store Coordinator

Join a store team in the West end in this leadership role. Assist the store coordinator to ensure all the cats and volunteers are taken care of!

Click here for more information.

Foster Home Screener

As a foster home screener, you’ll spend about 3-4 hours each week chatting with people who are interested in fostering cats to find out if they’re up for the job. Most of our foster homes’ first contact with TCR will come through a foster screener, so we need people who are outgoing and passionate about what we do! (When you apply for this role, you are NOT applying to foster a cat).

Click here for more information.

Vet Clinic Appointment Booker

Support multiple TCR teams to schedule vet appointments and help organize for the foster cat to arrive at the vet safely.

Click here for more information.

Store Volunteer

Work with cats in one of our partnered pet stores! Ensuring the cats in our retail adoption centres are always receiving adequate care at all times by providing a clean cage, food, water, exercise and play time.

If you are looking to Volunteer in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, please refer to the “KW Chapter” tab.

Click here for more information.

Drivers

Drivers are an essential part of the TCR family. We rely on drivers to pick up cats from Toronto Animal Services shelters, take cats to and from clinics, deliver materials, distribute food and medical supplies, and so much more.

If you are looking to Volunteer in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, please refer to the “KW Chapter” tab.

Click here for more information.

Healthcare Case Advisor

Join a high-functioning, multi-faceted team that triages health issues for cats and kittens within TCR’s foster program.

Feral Cat Recovery Centre Volunteer

We are in search of dedicated volunteers to come in weekly to help take care of feral cats at the Recovery Centre located in Scarborough.

Click here for more information.

Stray to Play (GTA)

Greater Toronto Area
    • Casual Volunteer

      Being a casual volunteer is a great way to help if you have a couple of hours a week that you want to spend helping us find dogs loving, lasting homes. A casual volunteer involves doing things like making reference calls and doing home visits for our foster and adoption applicants.

      Apply Here
    • Transport Volunteer

      If you have a car and some free time, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you to help us help the dogs in our care. Transport dogs to the vet or to events, drive dogs from the airport to their foster home, or help pick up and/or drop off supplies.

      Apply Here 
    • Flight Volunteer

      We rely on the kindness of flight volunteers to be able to bring dogs over from all over the globe. There is absolutely no cost to you; all you have to do is escort the dog(s) and we take care of the rest. A volunteer from one of our partner rescues will meet you at the airport, and a Stray to Play volunteer will meet you once you arrive at Pearson.

      Apply Here
    • Events Volunteer

      Want to help out without having to commit too much time? Then an events volunteer is the best way to do this. Commitment is per event, and you can pick and choose as many or as little that fit your schedule. Events help us bring in donations to transport, feed and care for our dogs. We also welcome any ideas that you may have for an upcoming event.

      Apply Here
    Read more

    Etobicoke Humane Society

    Greater Toronto Area
    The Etobicoke Humane Society is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. Volunteer roles include animal care, adoption coordinators, foster care coordinators, office administration, fundraising, communications/marketing and more.

    Volunteer requirements:

    • Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to work with dogs. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age to work with cats. Volunteers 14-16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian for all shifts
    • Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age for all other positions
    • We ask for a minimum six-month commitment for all volunteers
    • For in-person shelter positions proof of a current tetanus shot is required
    • We require proof of current vaccinations for personal pets
    • Must be available for an interview

    Current Volunteering Opportunities with EHS

    Cat Volunteers

    We’re looking for people who are available for shifts, at least once per week, at the shelter:

    • Morning (8:30am-11:30am)
    • Afternoon (1-4pm)
    • Evening (6:30-9:00)

    To find out more about the other positions available on the Cat Team CLICK HERE. If you find a position you are interested in please identify that in your application.

    Click here for the Cat Volunteer Form.

    Canadian Animal Task Force (Calgary)

    Calgary Area

    JOIN US AS A GENERAL VOLUNTEER

    Our on-site spay neuter clinics are held on weekends (Friday to Sunday) between April and October at various First Nations communities in Alberta. We set up in the community and rely on over 100 volunteers each day to care for up to 700 animals.

    For new volunteers:

    • General OPS (animal care, crate building, cleaning)
    • Data Entry (record keeping/ computer logs)
    • Professional Groomer
    • Catering and Kitchen Support
    • Cat Room
    • Autoclave Team (washing and wrapping surgical instruments)
    • Dog Care (walking, feeding and cleaning crates)
    • Set Up and Truck Pack

    For experienced volunteers:

    • Reception
    • Community Outreach Team
    • Surrender Room
    • Physical Exams Scribe
    • Physical Exams Dog Handler
    • Surgery Scribe
    • Recovery Dog Handler
    • Dog Recovery

    Click here to apply.

    For RVT/AHT Students click here for more opportunities.

    For Veterinarians/Vet Students click here for more opportunites.

    Read more

    BC SPCA

    British Columbia Area

    Volunteer Opportunities are available at many locations across the province! The navigation bar on the left hand side can help you sort possible volunteer opportunities available to help you find a volunteer position that suits you! Please only apply to your local BC SPCA location at which you intend to volunteer. If you do not see your closest BC SPCA location on the list, please check back for future opportunities.

    You can find their volunteer page here.

    Horse and Farm Animal Volunteer Program

    Volunteers help us provide care for horses and farm animals by:

    • Cleaning stalls, paddocks and other farm animal environments
    • Cleaning water and feed buckets
    • Sweeping, cleaning and organizing the barn
    • General grounds work
    • Extending care and socialization to animals that are vulnerable and require rehabilitation

    Apply for Horse and Farm Animals here.

    Read more

    Veterinarians Without Borders

    International/Overseas Canadian Based

    Are you interested in volunteering with Vets Without Borders? We’d love to have you! To apply for an open position, follow the links below to read the position descriptions and submit your application.

    VWB/VSF covers most of the costs of being an overseas volunteer, including:

    • Return airfare to placement country 
    • Visa/permit costs
    • The cost of required vaccinations, anti-malarial medication, and overseas emergency travel health insurance
    • A monthly living allowance (MLA) that will be paid into the volunteer’s bank account in Canada. The MLA is designed to be sufficient to cover simple housing, basic food requirements, and other typical monthly living expenses.

    Questions? Email [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.

    VETS Program | International

    ANIMAL HEALTH

    HEALTH, GENDER, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

    COMMUNICATIONS, MONITORING & EVALUATION, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

    Young Volunteer Program

    VWB/VSF’s Young Volunteer Program aims to improve food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the global south while providing Canadian students and recent graduates with opportunities to learn and grow in a cross-cultural setting. Read the YVP 2023 Program Description to find out more.

    The 2023 Young Volunteer Program application period is closed.

    Applications for summer 2024 will open in the fall. Interested? Email [email protected] to let us know!

    Read more

    Community Veterinary Outreach

    Ontario/Manitoba/British Columbia/Kansas City

    Community Veterinary Outreach is a servant leadership-based organization. Our role is to help support and our volunteers to achieve their individual goals for this experience.

    Thank you to all volunteers for your time and commitment. We rely entirely on your support for the Community Veterinary Outreach programs and services, and only through your continued dedication have we been able to help those in need.

    Last year, over 5,000 hours were donated by veterinarians, students, veterinary technicians, vet assistants, trainers, groomers, human health partners, and members of the community in Ottawa, Toronto, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Winnipeg, Kelowna, and Vancouver.

    Read more