Volunteers are the heart of Resilient Hearts. Your time, care, and unique skills help us expand our capacity, support our puppies, and strengthen our community. Whether you volunteer once a month or every week, every level of involvement makes a difference.
Volunteer Orientation
Volunteer Orientation is the first step to becoming a Resilient Hearts volunteer.
During this virtual orientation, you’ll learn who we are, the work we do, and the important role volunteers play in helping our rescue thrive. We’ll cover our mission, volunteer expectations, how to sign up for shifts, and the different ways you can get involved.
Please plan to attend the full session to receive all of the materials needed to get started.
Get to know us: Before becoming a volunteer, we encourage you to visit during Community Open Hours (hours listed below). It’s a chance to experience our rescue, spend time with our puppies, meet members of our community, and get a feel for how we care for our dogs. While it’s not required before attending Volunteer Orientation, many people find it to be a great introduction to RHAS.
Youth Volunteering
Volunteers of all ages are welcome at Resilient Hearts! Community Open Hours are the primary volunteer opportunity for youth volunteers. All youth volunteers must attend Volunteer Orientation before getting started. We recommend that a parent or guardian attend orientation with volunteers ages 14 and younger.
A legal guardian must accompany all youth volunteers on their first volunteer shift to sign the required waiver. After that:
- Ages 12 and under: Must volunteer with a responsible adult at all times.
- Ages 13–14: May volunteer with a responsible adult until approved by RHAS staff to volunteer independently.
- Ages 15–17: May volunteer independently after their waiver has been signed.
We’re also happy to verify volunteer hours for school service-learning and community service projects.
After Orientation
Once you’ve completed Volunteer Orientation, you’ll be able to sign up for volunteer shifts.
- There are no minimum hour requirements and no required schedule.
- Volunteer when you have the time and capacity.
- Every shift offers opportunities to learn, build confidence, and develop new skills through hands-on experience.
As you gain experience, additional volunteer roles and specialized opportunities will become available.
Starting Volunteer Opportunities
After completing Volunteer Orientation, you’ll be able to sign up for our core volunteer opportunities. Shift lengths vary depending on the opportunity, and we’ll cover the responsibilities and expectations for each role during orientation.
Community Open Hours
Wednesday–Friday | 2:00–6:00 PM
Saturday–Sunday | 12:00–6:00 PM
Open to volunteers of all ages.
Puppy Yoga & Bark & Burn
Wednesday Evenings | 6:00–8:00 PM
Saturday Mornings | 8:30 AM–12:00 PM
Volunteers must be 18 years or older
Community & Fundraising Events
Days and times vary throughout the year.
Age requirements vary depending on the event.
What Volunteers Do
While every shift is a little different, volunteers commonly help by:
- Creating a warm and welcoming experience for everyone who visits.
- Supporting safe interactions between people and puppies.
- Learning about puppy behavior, play, body language, and healthy socialization.
- Assisting with puppy enrichment and care.
- Helping with cleaning, organization, and the day-to-day tasks that keep our rescue running.
- Supporting RHAS staff during Community Open Hours, classes, and events.
Questions?
We’ve tried to answer the most common questions about volunteering on this page, including how to get started, volunteer opportunities, age requirements, and Volunteer Orientation. If you’ve reviewed the information above and still have questions—or your question isn’t covered here—we’d be happy to help.
Email: program@rhas.love
