Camp Pawsawhile Retreat
Thanks to a generous partnership with the Animal House at Live Oak Kennels and the Animal Hospital at Rice Hope, we were leased land and kennels in August 2014. The property, which we have named Camp Pawsawhile Retreat, is used to facilitate emergency or last minute rescues of canines and felines from hoarding situations or animal control euthanasia days until a foster home is available.
Daily Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to assist us on a daily basis with care of the pets as well as routine duties. All volunteers must attend a training orientation before beginning and be willing to submit to a criminal background check. Upon successful completion of an orientation, volunteers will complete at least three shadow sessions with experienced volunteers. Volunteers will pick a unit for which they will train and volunteer: Cattery (cats and kittens, Cottage (small breed dogs, as well as some nursing mothers with puppies), or Kennels (for medium and large breed dogs).
Volunteer duties will include providing fresh food and water for pets, scooping litter boxes, picking up after dogs, washing runs, disinfecting litterboxes and food and water dishes, socializing (playing) with cats and walking dogs. All volunteers are required to wear closed-toe shoes and should wear clothes that can get dirty (many volunteers prefer rain boots for working in the kennels).
Shift Schedule: Shifts are scheduled as AM and PM, with AM shifts starting at 9 and PM between 4:30 and 5:00. Each shift consists of 2 individuals for the cattery, 2 for the cottage and at least 3 for the kennels. All scheduling is done through our site with Volgistics, which volunteers will use after their initial orientation.
Work Day Volunteers
Volunteers are needed regularly for projects around camp, including maintenance, repairs, and landscaping. We regularly host these group work days to coordinate the efforts of multiple volunteers at one time.
Volunteers attending work days should expect to GET DIRTY! That means wearing clothes you don’t mind getting a bit sweaty and smudged especially with pawprints. Additionally, you SHOULD NOT wear flip flops or sandals; only closed toe shoes. We do provide bug spray but recommend hats as well.
Volunteering is open to anyone age 10 and up. Ages 10 to 15 must have a parent or legal guardian on site during the volunteering. Ages 16 and 17 must have a signed parental waiver form before participating. Ages 18 and up are welcome any time and must sign a waiver form before participating. Youth groups under age 10 are also welcome.
Our work days are great opportunities for youth, scout, college, service or business groups. If you have a particular day you would like for your group, just let us know; we can accommodate!
Administration Volunteers
We have a lot that happens behind the scenes for our volunteers. We are always on the hunt for help from individuals with office or clerical skills who can help with filing paperwork for our Department of Agriculture records, scanning records to be put up on our archive site with Google Drive, and creating adoption packs. Hours for this can vary during the week or the weekend to be flexible with the volunteer’s schedule. Volunteers for administration must be committed to the position due to the amount of training required by our senior volunteers and director.
Housekeeping Volunteers
Have just one hour to help? Become one of our housekeeping volunteers to help with washing and folding laundry, sweeping, mopping or other little housekeeping items to help our daily volunteer teams.
Maintenance Volunteers
We often have maintenance items that we need addressed, such as lights swapped out, kennel door boards replaced, fencing repaired, plumbing leaks, etc. If you have any of this kind of experience, we would love to have you!