Volunteer FAQs

Thank you for your interest in the Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center’s Volunteer Program. We recommend that you review the Frequently Asked Questions below to see if our Volunteer Program is a good fit for you and your schedule. 
 
How old do I have to be to volunteer?
All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age to join our Volunteer Program.
 
What is the role of a Volunteer?
Volunteers enhance the quality of life of the dogs waiting to be adopted at the Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center. Efforts to provide compassionate care, training, exercise, and enrichment for the dogs reduces their fear, anxiety, and stress while housed at the shelter.
 
Volunteers help facilitate the care and well-being of the dogs housed at the shelter by documenting observed behaviors and experiences.
 
Lastly, Volunteers are ambassadors for the shelter and support the shelter’s mission.
 
How Do I Become a Volunteer?
All individuals wanting to join our Volunteer Program must be at least 18 years old and must go through our Volunteer Onboarding Process. The Volunteer Onboarding Process includes both online and in-person trainings. As such, you will need to have access to an internet-capable computer, an active email account, and reliable transportation to the shelter. The Volunteer Onboarding process will take approximately 25 - 35 hours to complete. More information can be found on our Become a Volunteer page.
 
Are there any onboarding fees to join the Volunteer Program?
There are no onboarding fees to join our Volunteer Program.
 
What are the minimum hourly requirements for Volunteers?
Individuals joining our program are required to commit to volunteer at the shelter for a minimum of 4 hours each month for at least 6 consecutive months.
 
Do I have to schedule my volunteer shifts?
You are required to schedule your volunteer shifts at the shelter. This is done online via your FCDS Volunteer Portal.
 
I am only comfortable handling small dogs and/or I am not comfortable handling dogs. Is your Volunteer Program a good fit for me?
While the shelter does receive small breed dogs, they typically get adopted very fast. As such, they spend very little time on our Adoption Floor and there are minimal opportunities for Volunteers to handle them.
 
Most of our dogs are large and extra-large breed dogs who have a lot of energy to burn! While Volunteering at the shelter is very rewarding, it is also very physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding and isn’t an appropriate fit for everyone.
 
If you are interested in supporting the shelter, but aren’t comfortable handling large dogs, we humbly recommend supporting the shelter through needed donations.
 
Should I worry about taking an illness home to my pet?
If your pets are up to date on their vaccinations, then you should have nothing to worry about. However, always be sure to wash your hands and change your clothes after volunteering at the shelter before handling any of your own animals. If you have further questions, you should talk with your veterinarian.
 
Can I fulfill my court-appointed community service requirement at the shelter?
Applicants need to undergo orientation and training before they can begin working as a Volunteer. This process often takes longer to complete than the hours required by most court appointed hours. For this reason, court appointed hours are too short-term to be appropriate for our Volunteer Program. 
 
However, the shelter does offer non-dog handling opportunities to individuals that have court-appointed community service. Please note that due to limited availability and high demand that we may not be able to accommodate your request for court-appointed community service. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator directly for more information and current availability.