Volunteer Opportunities

Foster Homes

The more foster homes we have, the more animals we can save. Fostering an animal is extremely rewarding. You provide shelter, food, and lots of love; SARG provides the rest.

Paws for Life Gala/Auction

In 2012 we held our first Gala in Oak Ridge. In recent years, the location has been the gymnasium complex at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Oak Ridge. There is a great deal of work involved in planning and preparing for this event -- soliciting donations of auction items, sponsorships, and reservations, wrapping, photographing and displaying the donations on our website, preparing invitations, preparing and transporting the items to be auctioned, and much more. Additionally, quite a few volunteers are needed to staff the event itself.

Lavender Fest and other festivals

We usually have a booth at the Lavender Fest in Oak Ridge in June, as well as some festivals in other nearby areas. We always have a need for volunteers to help set up and take down tents and equipment, transport equipment and animals, and tend to animals and the booth during the event.

Computer and artistic skills

We use PetPoint software to track our animals, which requires data entry, and we often need photographs and artwork for displays and ads.

Mailings

SARG can always use help with mailing announcements, thank-you cards, etc., as well as donations of stamps and blank thank-you cards.

Sales

We have large pop-up sales of clothing and household items to raise money for the animals. Item donations for the sale are appreciated; volunteers are much needed to pick up and sort items and to help during the sale; and customers are essential.

All of our volunteers work hard, but the wagging tails and purrs make our efforts worthwhile. If you think you can assist with any of these activities, please e-mail your name and phone number, and a note about your volunteer interests, to newvol@shelteranimalsrescue.org so that we can contact you to ask whether you are available when we need help with events. Alternatively, we have a volunteer application (opens as a PDF) that you can fill out and return to us to let us know your interests and how and when to reach you. Sending the e-mail or the application does not commit you to anything, just lets us know that we can check with you when we need help.

If you will be fostering or working with us at an event, we will ask you to sign our liability waiver (opens as a PDF). You can print it and bring it along, or fill out one of ours at the event. Our volunteers must be at least 16 years old and, if under age 18, have the liability waiver signed by a parent/guardian. All volunteers between ages 16 and 18 will be closely supervised, as required by our insurer.