Volunteer
Volunteers are a very important part of our organization. We rely on our dedicated, trustworthy volunteers for many tasks both at the shelter and at our community events.
To volunteer you must be 18 years of age and complete a volunteer orientation class. If you are a parent and have underage children (no younger then 8 years old) that wish to volunteer, a parent or guardian MUST fill out the volunteer application as well, take the volunteer orientation class and remain with their child at all times.
Our volunteer orientation classes are scheduled directly with our Outreach Coordinator after you have filled out a volunteer application and release form and both have been received. The link to these forms is found below.
To keep our volunteers safe and to assure they feel confident when working with animals at the shelter, we require each volunteer to meet with a volunteer mentor at least once before handling the animals on their own. The volunteer mentor will guide you through the process of signing in and out, how to safely remove animals from cages/kennels, how to properly handle them during walks or play time, and how to place them back in their cages/kennels securely.
The Need is Great and So is the Reward
Walking dogs
- Gives our dogs exercise, fresh air, companionship and leash training which leads to more adoptions.
- Gives the dogs one-on-one attention.
- Allows volunteers to utilize our Puppy Playground giving dogs off-leash playtime.
Socializing Cats
- Gives our kitties exercise, companionship and playtime which is a plus for more adoptions.
- Allows the cats personal one-on-one time with our Kitty Rehab Team.
Socialization & Enrichment
- Gives our dogs a nice treat at the end of the day. FYI, our dogs LOVE frozen peanut butter!
Special Events
- Assisting with Fundraising, Adoption and Gala events, manning the GSHS information booth, the list goes on and on!
Office work
Photography of our animals for adoption promotions
Minor shelter repairs
Cleaning (washing dishes, laundry, sorting donations etc.)
Distributing event flyers
Distributing and picking up donation banks from local businesses
Please consider donating some of your time to help the homeless and abandoned animals of our community. Volunteers are always needed to help our staff and the animals around the shelter and at special events! If you arrive and find you are not able to interact with the animals please ask the shelter staff if there is anything at the shelter that needs to be done. We always need an extra pair of hands.
If you would like to volunteer at GSHS, please fill out our application online or download and fill out this volunteer application and either bring or mail it to us at the shelter and we will be in touch with you to schedule your volunteer orientation class.
Grand Strand Humane Society extends Community Service hours to those who need credits for school or scholarships. This provides an opportunity to individuals to do something positive for their community. If you are interested in completing your community service with GSHS, please fill out the Community Service Form.