Mission Valley Animal Shelter
"A voice for those who cannot speak"
VOLUNTEER OF THE SEASON
At the end of each season, the MVAS staff votes to recognize one special volunteer who went above and beyond for the past three months! We cannot succeed without the amazing help of volunteers, and we encourage everyone to acknowledge the role they play in saving animals by thanking them for their commitment, passion and service!
Volunteer of the Season: Ann & George Pappas
~Ann and George are our volunteers of the season because they have been a diligent and reliable animal transfer for vet appointments throughout all of the Covid pandemic and even before.
~We thank you so much for your services Ann & George!
WHY VOLUNTEER?
With a staff-hours equivalent of six full-time employees, the Mission Valley Animal Shelter must rely heavily on support from a cadre of generous volunteers to carry out its life-saving mission.
Volunteering at the animal shelter has many perks:
The fulfillment that derives from helping save and care for the animals
The joy and love that the animals share with you
The relationships formed with our animal-loving staff and volunteers
The opportunity to learn about animal care, training, behavior and ownership
And much more!
WHO CAN VOLUNTEER?
ALL ARE WELCOME!
Almost anyone can volunteer at our shelter! So long as you are willing to help and sign a couple of waivers, we will welcome you with open arms!
KIDS
Children are welcome, although those 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Minors who are
15-16 are not generally allowed to walk dogs, but may otherwise volunteer. You must be 18 or older in order to walk our dogs.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
We are happy to accommodate those needing to complete community service hours. The only restriction is that we cannot accept those with a violent offense. We will work closely with your supervisors to address formal requirements.
HOW DO I GET PLUGGED IN?
We ask those interested in helping to fill out a volunteer application and sign two waivers. This can be done at the front counter. You can also print the forms below and bring them completed with you on your first day.
Volunteer Application
Release of liability - Adult
Release of liability - Minor
Confidentiality Waiver
We ask volunteers to contact our Shelter at (406) 883-5312 or email us at mvas@ronan.net to schedule days and/or hours!
HOW CAN I HELP?
There are many diverse ways of being involved! You can get your hands dirty, you can get your OCD fix in the office or you can simply get your puppy or kitten fix by playing with some animals or taking a dog for a walk. You can rest assured that whatever skills or support you bring, your help will be very appreciated by both animals and staff!
HERE ARE SOME OF THE FUN AND HELPFUL WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
Fostering animals (see separate Foster tab for more information)
Walking dogs
Washing dishes
Socializing kittens
Brushing cats and dogs
Sweeping and mopping
Scooping poop
Helping clean kennel areas
Laundry
Sanitizing crates
Shoveling snow
Mowing grass
Pulling weeds
Data entry
Glass cleaning, dusting and other facilities cleaning
Other clerical organizational tasks
Socializing special-needs dogs (experienced adults only, staff approval needed on case-by-case basis)
Various projects as needed
Helping at our Seconds2Go thrift store
Much more!