- What is the minimum age to volunteer?
You must be at least 16 to volunteer in the rescue. Anyone under 18 must provide their parent/guardian’s agreement signature. For those under the required age, we recommend discussing fostering with your family. Fostering as a family can provide a positive way to interact with and help the cats in our care!
- How do I become a volunteer?
Your first step is to complete our online volunteer application. Your application will be added to our waitlist in the order it was received. When volunteer shifts become available our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you via email with available shifts that match your schedule and interest preferences. Please respond to that email promptly if you see a shift that works for you, keep in mind that shifts are filled on a first come first serve basis.
- What’s the time commitment?
We ask our volunteers to commit to at least one two-hour shift per week for a minimum of three months or a minimum of 30 hours. Volunteers are welcome to sign up for more shifts if they would like to and are encouraged to volunteer beyond their three month initial requirement.
- I have a vacation where I will have to miss a shift. What should I do?
Email us at volunteer@seattleareafelinerescue.org to notify us, as soon as you know you will be missing a shift. During your first three months, we ask that you miss no more than one shift. If you have to miss more, we will ask that you reevaluate your chosen shift and determine if it’s appropriate with your schedule. We also ask that you make up any missed shifts by coming in a different day or by doubling your shift the next time. See the attendance policy.
- Can I receive credit for service hours for school?
Yes. You must notify the Volunteer Manager in advance. Please note that we will sign your completed service hours at the end of the three-month commitment. You must also have your hours approved when you stop volunteering, no longer than six months after you have stopped serving.
- Can I complete my court-ordered community service hours here?
Yes. You must notify the Volunteer Manager in advance. The crime must be disclosed in advance, and the Operations Manager must approve the service in advance. Please note that we will sign your completed service hours at the end of the three-month commitment.
- Do you have any group volunteer opportunities?
Occasionally we will have a large project that can utilize a group of volunteers. However group opportunities are extremely limited. Please email volunteer@seattlearefelinerescue.org if you are interested in a group opportunity.
- Will I need to work holidays?
If you are a retail or administrative volunteer, you do not need to work certain holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, July 4th, etc.). However, cats still need care on holidays; Cat Care volunteers, and Clean Team volunteers are requested to work holidays.
- What is the volunteer discount on retail items?
Volunteers are given a discount in our retail store which carries a wide variety of supplies for your kitties! As a volunteer you will get 15% off if paying with credit/debit or 20% off if paying cash. This discount applies to everything except: litter, food, or used items.
If you have any other questions, please email volunteer@seattleareafelinerescue.org