April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, a time that we reflect on the many contributions our volunteers make and extend our gratitude for their work year round. Here at the Humane Society of Ventura County, we rely on a diverse group of people who share their time and skills to improve the well-being of animals throughout our community. These outstanding individuals, families, and groups from around the county donated nearly 10,000 hours of service in 2018.

Our volunteers represent the very best of our communities spirit by sharing their skills, time, and other vital resources, to show their support for the causes that they believe in. The largest group of volunteers that we have are our dog and cat socializers. These volunteers spend their time helping the dogs and cats in our care to be more comfortable around a variety of people while building their skills and confidence. This allows their true personalities to come out and we are able to better match them with the appropriate homes. However that’s not all, volunteers assist us with everything from mucking horse stalls, performing yard checks, collecting donation boxes, photography, and writing animal profiles. Through their extraordinary work, these volunteers are taking action and helping to solve issues important to the health and wellbeing of our community.  

For the month of April, we look forward to highlighting the many wonderful volunteers and the different ways our volunteers make a positive impact in the lives of animals in need. In the process, we hope to educate the public about our volunteer opportunities and motivate others to join our efforts. If you are interested in volunteering, it's easy to get started. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Volden to get signed up for an orientation. She can be reached by phone at (805)646-6505x110 or by email at [email protected].

Thank you to Animal Ambassador Kali Brooks for creating this amazing video on volunteering at the Shelter. Kali has been a volunteer with us for five years working in many different areas of the shelter and her videos and photos have helped place hundreds of animals. Thank you, Kali!