HSFC relies heavily on its volunteers. Our budget permits very few paid employees, so we could not function without your dedication.  There are numerous areas where you can help our orphaned animals.  Very likely, we can find something that you will enjoy doing.  Donating just one hour per week will make a huge difference in what we can accomplish for the homeless cats and dogs of Forsyth County...and they are so appreciative.

Top Reasons To Volunteer:

 Make a difference in your community and help animals!

Whether you want to walk dogs, cuddle cats, staff a booth, help fundraise, or use your talents, you can make a difference in the lives of homeless animals.  There are just a few benefits:

1. Be part of the solution.  You'll join a network of hundreds of thousands of people working to make the world safer and more humane for all living creatures.  You'll make the jobs of everyone working for animals a little easier by lending a hand and spreading the message of responsible pet ownership and animal protection.
2. Get warm fuzzies.  You'll never find a more grateful and accepting friend than an animal you've comforted.
3. Keep good company.  You'll make lots of new friends--and not just the four-legged kind.  Working side-by-side with people who share similar interests.
4. Meet the new you.  You'll discover skills you never knew you had, and you may be surprised at what you're capable of achieving.
5. Gain a new career.  You'll learn things that may lead you to the career--or career change--of your dreams.  Employers and college admissions officers look favorably on time spent in volunteer service.
6. Enjoy a wagging tail, a purr, and a smile.  Didn't someone once say that the best things in life are free?

• Adoption Center
• Retail and Public Venues
• Home
• Everywhere & Anywhere

Animal Care

Breakfast (9am) and dinner (5pm) hours are busy times.  Our animals are patiently waiting for their fresh food and water.  Then they watch for the Squeaky Clean Brigade.  They love to have their living areas cleaned and tidied – twice a day.  If you have a little spare time at the beginning or end of your day, please consider being part of this crew.

Cat Socialization

Our kitties look forward to loving attention 7 days a week -- cuddling, brushing, and playing.  Socializing our kitties is very important to their development and to help them be adopted quickly.  Friendly, "well-mannered" cats are much more likely to find a forever home.

 Dog Bather

We want our Adoption Center dogs to look spiffy before we take them to an offsite adoption event.  Friday is our big day for bathing dogs.  Join in the fun of soaping, rinsing, and grooming.

Greeter

Give visitors a tour of the Center, talk with potential adopters about our cats and dogs, communicate our mission, and encourage visitors to become members of HSFC.

Receptionist

Sometimes our phone rings off the hook! We could use help with answering calls and directing questions to the appropriate staff member.  All you need is a friendly phone personality.

Rescue Walker

Volunteers receive additional training in rescue walking technique. This interaction is important to encourage behaviors that make the dog more adoptable.  Prolonged enclosure can cause a dog’s emotional health to deteriorate from a lack of mental stimulation and sufficient exercise.  Dogs can be walked anytime between 11:00am and 6:00pm daily. To learn more about Rescue Walker training, click here .

Art & Printing

We always need creative visual promotions.  If you have experience in these areas, consider assisting with creative for fundraisers, special events, etc.  Or, if you know of anyone who might donate these services, please put us in touch.

Adoption Follow-up Calls

About two weeks after every adoption, a volunteer will make a follow-up call to the adopter just to ‘check-in’.  This volunteer would be knowledgeable about cats and/or dogs and would be able to answer questions, offer advice, and suggest resources if needed.

Development & Finance

Continual research to identify new opportunities and areas of potential growth /savings (e.g., new facility, cost of a new service, vendor bids, researching other rescues for ideas/methods).

Fostering

Our Center is too small to house all the animals we intake. We rely on caring volunteers to provide safe, nurturing homes for homeless animals until adoption.  Fosterers also transport the animal to medical appointments and adoption fairs and they provide photos and bios for our website.  Experienced fosterers care for pregnant or nursing moms, bottle-fed babies, and injured animals.  Relief fosterers cover during vacations or business travel.  We provide all the supplies (food, crates, and litter boxes) as well as medical care.  Fosterers provide the love!

Grant Research and Writing

Because HSFC receives no financial assistance from any government or agency, memberships, donations, fundraising, and grants are extremely important to our continued success.  We are looking for those with experience in researching potential grants and writing applications.

Legislative Monitoring

Follow legislative issues at the county, state, and national levels.  Keep HSFC informed on progress (or barriers) related to our missions (no more homeless pets, no-kill, spay/neuter all pets, TNR).  Regularly send updates to our website.

Sewing & Crafts

Craft or sew anything pet-related to sell at fairs, festivals, events; make pink and blue cat collars to help with identification; sew dressy dog or cat collars/scrunches for holiday wear; sew aprons for volunteers, lab coats for staff, even foot coverings; organize a group of crafters (seniors, 4H students) to make and donate items.  The possibilities are endless.

Writing Publications

We are looking for good writers who would enjoy creatively compiling information for a monthly membership newsletter. We also write articles for local print and online outlets.

Adoption Fairs

Many of our animals live in foster homes and are only seen at offsite adoption events. To help these animals find forever homes, foster parents regularly take their animals to an offsite adoption event at a retail partner -- PetSmart, Petco, Rucker Pet & Wild Bird, or Pooch & Paws. Volunteer help is needed to set up / take down tables, crates, fill water bowls, etc.; greet shoppers, answer questions, supervise interactions with animals, walk dogs, screen potential adopters, and help them find just the right pet.  A successful adoption is the reward.

Donation Boxes

Many partner businesses (restaurants, stores) allow HSFC to place donation jars/boxes at their location to collect donations (money, food, litter).  Marketing volunteers would regularly service these locations, deliver donations to the Center, and recruit new business partner.

Cat Care Habitat – PetSmart (Cumming)

Our cats in the PetSmart habitat look forward to their meals and clean cage – twice every day.  It takes about an hour, either in the morning or early evening, to feed, water, clean, and exercise our 6-8 residents.  They will be so excited to see you – it will make it all worthwhile.

Teen Fundraising Projects

Volunteers are needed to organize teen fundraising projects such as car washes, dog washes. We do things like car washes or dog washes, and help kids organize animal welfare clubs in their schools.

Thrift Store

Our HFSC Thrift Store features gently merchandise such as clothing, household and decorating items, electrics, books, toys, furniture, and pet supplies. Volunteers help to receive and sort merchandise, evaluate and price items, displays, and cashier duties.  For more information about being a Thrift Store volunteer, click here

Special Events

We actively partner with and support all types of local activities in Forsyth County including Pet Photos with Santa, Cumming Christmas Parade, and booths at football games and festivals.  We need energetic volunteers who ensure we don’t miss any opportunities for visibility.  You might help with planning or just on the day of the event – whatever works for you.

Feral Cat (TNR Program)

We firmly believe in the policy of trap, neuter/spay, and return (TNR) for feral cats and actively support our sister rescue, Feral Cat Program of GA.  You can get involved at any point in the process:  set-up food stations, deliver food, trap and transport cat to a vet, foster during recovery, and release back to feral colony or socialize potentially adoptable cats/kittens.

Fundraising

Because we receive no financial assistance from any government or agency, the fundraising committee is the heart of HSFC.  There are many avenues for raising money from our Bark and Boogie Ball to dog washes.  Creative people with fresh ideas are needed to add variety to our fundraising efforts.  Our programs include company gift matching, honors and tributes, online affinity programs, business partnerships, and animal sponsorships.  Any other ideas?

Photographers / Videographers

Our busy employees need help taking cute photos and videos and downloading them to pet search engine.  Photos from offsite adoptions, fundraisers, and special events are needed for our newsletter, website, and social media outlets. 

Transportation

On a daily basis our animals need to be transported to/from vet appointments.  On Saturdays and some Sundays, animals need a ride to/from an adoption event.  We also need help picking up items from HSFC Corporate sponsors and donation drives.