Volunteer Program

Volunteering at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League

Our volunteers are vitally important and each task performed is a significant contribution to the health and welfare of animals in the shelter and in our community.

Volunteers must be 18 years of age to work independently in the shelter.

Please note that we can no longer provide hours for court-appointed community service.

Questions About Volunteering? Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 561.472.8867 or email us.

By offering your time and talent you can improve the quality of life for our pets while they wait for their new forever homes. If you think you can't volunteer at the shelter because you'd want to take all of the animals home, there are other areas and departments that need your help as well. Keep in mind that it is people like you who care deeply about animals who have the most to offer them.

How to Get Started!

* RSVP and attend a volunteer orientation.
* After orientation we will review your application and schedule you for training for the volunteer position you are interested in.
* You will be teamed up with a mentor or asked to attend a class for further training.
* Please plan to commit to a scheduled shift of at least two hours each week.
We especially need help in the mornings from 8AM to 10AM cleaning and feeding.

Upcoming Volunteer Orientations:

Saturday, September 11th 10:30am                     RSVP here.
Tuesday, September 21st 10:30am                      RSVP here.

Email us here for more details

Volunteer Orientations are held at the Animal Rescue League in the gray building on the left across the pond (when you enter the shelter from Military Trail). It is the buidling on the left that is not a dome. The orientations last 2 hours depending on the number of attendees.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteer Positions

Volunteers perform a wide variety of jobs throughout the League.

Animal Care Positions:

Animal Care Assistant--Canine.  This volunteer assists staff with completing daily cleaning duties, keeping the shelter facilities clean and comfortable for the companion animals in our care.  Job Description

Animal Care Assistant--Feline.  This volunteer assists with completing daily cleaning duties, keeping the shelter facilities clean and comfortable for the companion animals in our care.  Job Description

Canine Enrichment Program.  This volunteer helps provide a "head start" for the dogs in our adoption program, helping to emphasize desirable behaviors that boost the dog's self-confidence.  Duties include leashwork to prevent pulling and lunging, sit commands at doorways, prevention of jumping on people, agility work, crate training, positive play and interactive exercise.  Job Description 

NEW!  Canine Enrichment Classes for our current volunteers:
Dog Enrichment 101

Thursday, September 16, 2010 9:00AM - 11:00AM RSVP here.
Thursday, September 23, 2010 9:00AM - 11:00AM RSVP here.
Sunday, September 26, 2010 10:00AM - 1:00PM RSVP here.


Dog Enrichment 102 - prerequisite - Dog Enrichment 101
(Class begins after morning feeding and cleaning are completed).

Special thanks to Ileen Green, CPDT-KA, for her help with our enrichment classes.  Visit Ileen Green’s website or email her here with your pet behavior questions.

Feline Enrichment Program.  This volunteer provides the cat with some of the stimulation he would receive within a home environment and reduces the stress of being in a shelter.  Duties include voice and hand massage, positive interactive play, grooming and brushing.  Job Description

Client Services Positions:

Adoption Center Greeter.  This volunteer assists adoption staff by greeting members of the public as they arrive and by guiding them through the beginning of the adoption process.  Job Description

Volunteer Phone Bank.  This volunteer assists League staff in answering telephone calls in a friendly and patient manner.  We receive over 400 phone calls a day, and the telephone is often our first opportunity to create positive relationships in the community and find good homes for the animals in our care.  Job Description

Foster Parents
Foster Parents provide temporary homes for dogs and cats with special needs, such as a quiet place for newborns, animals receiving medical treatment, or recovering from injuries or abuse.  Fostering an animal requires a significant commitment.  This program has saved the lives of hundreds of animals who, otherwise, might not have survived their circumstances.  For more information about being a Foster Parent, please call 561. 472.8848.

Special Events and Fundraising
Assist with special events and projects at various sites throughout the community. Activities may include display set-up, pre-event planning, processing paperwork, decorating, transporting supplies and/or animals, securing silent auction items, selling raffle tickets, selling merchandise, supervising booths, accepting donations, and more. These events are vital to the support of the shelter.

Thrift Store
The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League Thrift Store, located in the antique district of historic downtown West Palm Beach, sells new and used treasures. Volunteers assist customers, display merchandise, price and stock merchandise, clean and more. The Thrift Store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Questions About Volunteering? Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 561.472.8867 or email us.

Registered Volunteers click here to access our Volunteer Information Center.