Volunteer Opportunities
We have a volunteer role to fit your interests!
Following is a list of some of the opportunities available.
Program facilitators
We need facilitators in every program. Facilitators attend programming and events. They can be trainers, experienced dog handlers, “cat people” – just safe, humane people. They work with dog-and-handler teams when we need people to facilitate and manage the interactions between program participants and Safe Humane Ambassador dogs and their handlers. This may be in churches, high schools, grade schools, detention centers and at tabling events or community festivals.
Ambassador Dog Teams
Dogs and their guardians are integral to Safe Humane Chicago programs. They give participants an opportunity to connect with an animal in a positive, safe environment. We need these teams to work with children in community settings, high school students learning about companion animals in communities and teaching grade school students, incarcerated youth at the Illinois Youth Center Chicago, teenagers and adults seeking to connect with needy animals and to give back to their communities or learn job skills, and in general Safe Humane Chicago presentations (neighborhood festivals, community events, press conferences).
Court Advocates
Community members follow court cases involving animal abuse of all kinds and develop educational materials and information that promote understanding and effective intervention. Court Advocates do not speak in court but represent our program in conversations involving the court cases and help provide information for reports. They wear official Court Advocacy badges and abide by established courtroom protocols and program guidelines. Court Advocacy has regular meetings and requirements.
For information, email courtadvocacy@safehumane.org.
Community Outreach
We're looking for volunteers interested in representing Safe Humane Chicago at events and meetings of all types.
Event and Party Planners
We need people who know how to party and how to make it happen. And we need organizers and do-ers.
Experienced dog handlers
We need dog handlers to help in shelter dog and Court Case Dogs manners classes (currently at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), where city volunteer requirements also apply, including fingerprinting). Dog handlers may also help in all of our programs working with CACC animals and in puppy and dog training classes in the community.
Communications and marketing
We need volunteer photographers who can capture our programs on an on-going basis and writers who can keep up with our activities and write stories and press releases as needed.
Administrative
Administrative volunteers assist in material preparation and similar needs, general communications (letters and general follow-up correspondence with donors), website and social media maintenance, among other such tasks.