New Volunteers
Click HERE to submit your application.

Students Helping Rescue Animals (SHRA) ISU Club Members
Click HERE to submit your application.

Current Volunteers
Click HERE to access the online volunteer portal.

***The full volunteer application approval, orientation, and tour process can take 3-4 weeks before your first volunteer visit. Staff work diligently to process applications and move volunteers quickly through the process. We promise to push your application through as quickly as possible. Applications for volunteering are NOT processed from Thanksgiving through December 31st.***

The Ames Animal Shelter is staffed by three full-time employees and five part-time employees. But it takes a lot of people to keep the animals as happy and comfortable as possible during their stay here. That’s where volunteers come in!

Volunteers provide a variety of services to the shelter and the animals. Volunteers pitch in to help with the chores when things are busy, and also socialize with the animals to help them relax and adjust to the shelter setting. It’s incredibly heartwarming to see how the animals recognize the volunteers when they come in, knowing it means they’re about to get some special attention.

Volunteers also help make the animals more adoptable to visitors! A dog that knows the basic “sit” and “stay” commands will seem far more adoptable to a visitor than a dog that still needs to learns their commands. A cat will be more adoptable if it’s been brushed and gotten used to being cuddled and snuggled with. This is a critical role volunteers play in the program.

Because we rely so much on our volunteers for assistance, they must be able to provide a commitment to us and our animals.

We require the following:

Volunteers must have health insurance.

Volunteers must be able to provide at least four hours of service a month.

Volunteers must be able to provide a one year commitment.

All volunteers will be required to complete a virtual orientation once their application has been approved.

Volunteers must be able to meet the Volunteer Essential Capabilities.

Volunteering Application Fee (Starting July 1, 2024):

 A $25.00 fee is due upon initial application review approval of your volunteering application. When your application is approved, our volunteer coordinator will email information regarding payment of the fee prior to starting your orientation process. Once we received the payment, a full background check will be completed. Volunteer application fees are non-refundable in the event the application is denied due to discoveries during the background check, or if the applicant withdraws from the program at any point.

All volunteers will receive a volunteering t-shirt on their first day of volunteering.

Volunteer Age Restrictions (Starting July 1, 2024):

10 - 15 years old: Must volunteer each time with a parent/legal guardian. Parent/legal guardian is required to sign a special liability form, and must submit a volunteer application as well. The liability form is available at https://us.openforms.com/Form/ab941f86-0690-4b1d-95b5-c523a895a6db.

16 & 17 years old: May volunteer without a parent/legal guardian present, but must sign a special liability form. The liability form is available at https://us.openforms.com/Form/ab941f86-0690-4b1d-95b5-c523a895a6db.

18+ years old: No restrictions.