Becoming an ARL Volunteer | Volunteer Locations | General Volunteering Opportunities | Experienced Volunteering Opportunities | Special Volunteering Opportunities
There is more than one way to make hundreds of tails wag at once.
Volunteer at the ARL!
There are few things as rewarding as helping a homeless animal find a loving new home. When you volunteer at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, you make a difference for homeless animals—whether you lift their spirits with a walk or sell tickets to the annual fundraising auction.
After your first visit to the ARL, you will find that volunteering for the animals is easy, fun and very rewarding. It’s a great way to impact the lives of thousands of dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and small animals. The most important skills you need to be a volunteer are love and respect for animals.
For additional volunteer information, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 515/473-9110 or email Volunteer Coordinator.
Becoming an ARL Volunteer
What: The first step to becoming an ARL Volunteer is to attend a volunteer orientation. No registration is needed. At orientation, you will learn more about the ARL, its programs, and what you can do to help. You’ll also receive an application and volunteer handbook.
When: Volunteer orientations are held the second Saturday of every month. Check out our Events Calendar for upcoming orientations.
Where: Orientations are held in the ARL Education and Training Center, located behind the main shelter, 5452 NE 22nd St., Des Moines, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
To work with animals, volunteers must be at least 12 years old. Volunteers younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult volunteer, at least 18 years of age, at all times. The adult volunteer also needs to have completed orientation and any subsequent training with their minor partner.
For volunteers 8-11 years of age, opportunities to volunteer include but are not limited to helping at special events or AniMeals packaging parties, projects at the shelter like unfolding newspapers or laundry assistance, as well as special projects that can be completed from home such as baking treats and bringing them to the adoptable animals, making Snuggles, or doing a collection drive. You can find more ideas here or recipes here.
To work with our animals volunteers must physically be able to enter and exit the kennels in a safe manner and have the ability to understand and comprehend ARL rules and policies for their own safety and the safety of the animals.
What volunteer opportunities are available?
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Volunteer Locations:
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Title: ARL Main location
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes |
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Goal:
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To encourage long-term healthy adoptions of our animals. |
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Description:
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Volunteers will work in the adoption area with the adoptable pets. They will help answer questions and assist with potential adopters in the visitation rooms. |
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must attend volunteer orientation. Volunteer must attend proper hands on trainings. Volunteer must be comfortable working around animals. Volunteer must be comfortable working around customers. Junior volunteers may work at this location |
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Title: ARL West Location
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes |
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Goal:
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To care for the adoptable pets at our satellite location in West Des Moines.
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Description:
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Volunteers will work at our ARL West Location in the Iowa Pet Foods and Aquatics facility. Volunteers will physically work with the adoptable pets and assist the staff members with the care and maintenance of the pets.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must attend volunteer orientation. Volunteer must attend West training class. Volunteer must be comfortable around animals. Volunteer must be comfortable working around customers. Junior volunteers may NOT work at this location.
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Title: ARL PetsMart Location in Ankeny
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes |
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Goal:
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To care for the adoptable cats and rabbits at the Ankeny PETSMART location.
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Description:
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Volunteers will work at our ARL PetsMart location in Ankeny. Volunteers will physically work with the adoptable pets and provide customer service to possible adopters.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must attend volunteer orientation. Volunteer must attend the ARL PetsMart training class. Volunteer must be able to sign up for a consistent volunteering schedule. Volunteer must be able to work with the public. Junior volunteers may NOT work at this location.
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Title: ARL South Location – Southridge Mall
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes |
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Goal:
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To care for the adoptable pets at our satellite location in Southridge Mall.
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Description:
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Volunteers will work at our ARL South Location. Volunteers will physically work with the adoptable pets and to assist the staff members with the care and maintenance of the pets.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must attend volunteer orientation. Volunteer must attend the ARL South training class. Volunteer must be able to work with the public. Junior volunteers may work at this location.
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General Volunteering Opportunities:
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Title: Caged Critters Companion
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To increase the adoptability and quality of life for caged critters, including hamsters, gerbils, rats and guinea pigs.
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Description:
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Volunteer will talk to, pet, groom and play with caged pets from the adoption cages. Volunteer may interact with pets while they are in their cages or take them into a visitation room to cuddle.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must relate well to caged pets and be comfortable handling them. Volunteer must talk to pets in a soothing tone and understand their body language. Volunteer must read ARL caged pet literature found in the Volunteer Reference Manual.
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Title: Cat Companion
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To keep the cats in our care physically attractive and emotionally happy as a means of increasing their chances at adoption and to enhance their lives.
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Description:
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Volunteer will talk to, pet, groom and play with cats from the adoption cages. Volunteer may interact with cats while they are in their cages or take them into a visitation room to cuddle.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must relate well to cats and be comfortable handling them. Volunteer must talk to cats in a soothing tone and understand their body language. Volunteer must read ARL cat literature found in the Volunteer Reference Manual. Volunteer must attend cat training session.
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Title: Dog Companion
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To keep the dogs in our care emotionally happy and physically attractive as a means of increasing their chances at adoption and enhancing their lives.
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Description:
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Volunteer will talk to, pet, bathe, groom and play with dogs from the adoption cages. Volunteer may interact with dogs while they are in their cages, take them into a visitation room or walk them outside.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must relate well to dogs and be comfortable handling them. Volunteer must talk to dogs in a soothing tone and understand their body language. Volunteer must read the dog-related information in the Volunteer Reference Manual. Volunteer must attend dog-training session.
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Title: Laundry Helper
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Animal Involvement:
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No
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Goal:
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To assist the ARL in cleaning the laundry used to care for and comfort the animals.
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Description:
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Volunteer will load the washer and dryer with towels, rugs and rags that have been used to care for the animals. In nice weather, laundry can be hung outside to dry. Dry laundry is folded and put on the shelves in the laundry room.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must use the washer/dryer according to instructions and be willing to help in a job that seems never-ending.
**Special Note: This is a very important job at the ARL and is one where help is constantly needed. Any laundry helpers earn a special place in the heart of ARL workers and the animals!
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Title: Rabbit Pet Pal
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To keep the rabbits in our care physically attractive and emotionally happy as a means of increasing their chances at adoption and to enhance their lives.
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Description:
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Volunteer will talk to, pet, groom and play with rabbits from the adoption cages. Volunteer may interact with rabbits while they are in their cages, in a rabbit playpen, in the small animal adoption room or take them into a visitation room to cuddle.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must relate well to rabbits and be comfortable handling them. Volunteer must talk to rabbits using a soft, calm voice and understand their body language. Volunteer must read the rabbit related information in the Volunteer Handbook and train with volunteer rabbit trainers.
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Experienced Volunteering Opportunities:
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Title: Adoption Counselor
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To assist members of the public in finding an appropriate pet for their home.
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Description:
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Volunteer will visit with potential adopters in the adoption area of the kennel and assist them in finding a pet.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must have extensive experience and approval of the Volunteer Coordinator. Volunteer must be knowledgeable about responsible pet care and show proficiency in the adoption process, which includes screening, interviewing and placement of animals into adoptive homes.
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Title: Animal Assisted Therapy
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To enrich the lives of people–children, adults and seniors–who do not have access to animals. To promote community awareness of the value and benefits of the human-animal bond.
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Description:
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The volunteer transports their own approved animals to the designated AAT facility and spends 30-60 minutes interacting with the residents there.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must be approved by the Volunteer Coordinator and the AAT coordinator and complete AAT training. Dogs must have CGC and TDI certification. Volunteer must be comfortable handling animals and interacting with mentally, physically or emotionally handicapped children/adults/seniors and/or people with illnesses.
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Title: Assistant Dog Trainer
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To help dog guardians communicate and develop a bond with their dogs with the goal of keeping the dog in its home and reducing the number of dogs turned into shelters because of behavioral issues.
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Description:
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Volunteer will assist Pet Behavior Counselor with dog and/or puppy training classes at the ARL or at offsite locations. Volunteer will interact with class attendees and their dogs while demonstrating, explaining and emphasizing the goals of the class.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must communicate effectively with dog guardians and relate well to dogs. Volunteer must read ARL-approved dog-training literature and watch recommended videos. Volunteer must have approval of the Pet Behavior Counselor.
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Title: Assistant Shelter Dog Trainer – PupCamp
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To train shelter dogs to have basic manners and be “human focused” as a means of increasing their chances at adoption.
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Description:
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Volunteer will work with dogs in their kennels and outside using treats, verbal praise and positive reinforcement training methods approved by the ARL. After working with each dog, volunteer notes information about the animal on a “Get to Know Me” sheet and attaches it to the dog’s kennel door.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must feel comfortable working with the shelter dogs and moving them in and out of the cages/kennels. Volunteer must read ARL-approved training material, watch recommended videos and be approved by the Pet Behavior Counselor.
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Title: Groomer
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To make pets more comfortable and attractive as a means of increasing their chance at adoption and enhancing their lives.
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Description:
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Volunteer will bathe and groom primarily dogs, but occasionally other animals, in the bathing room at the ARL. All necessary supplies are available at the ARL.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must read grooming information in the Volunteer Handbook or have previous experience in grooming. In either case, volunteer must show proficiency in bathing and/or grooming and have approval of Pet Behavior Counselor or Volunteer Coordinator.
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Title: Humane Educator
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Animal Involvement:
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Optional
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Goal:
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To educate the public about pet welfare issues and responsible pet guardianship while promoting the human-animal bond.
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Description:
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Volunteer will give presentations at locations in the community and/or presentations with tours at the ARL. Volunteer may occasionally take a pre-approved animal to presentations and may also take their personal animal to presentations as approved by the Pet Behavior Counselor. Dogs must have CGC and TDI certification.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must believe in the values and objectives of humane education, be comfortable speaking in front of groups and be able to interact well with children. Volunteer must be able to think on his/her feet and answer questions from an audience. Volunteer must be willing to read and become familiar with ARL humane education materials and be approved by the Humane Education Coordinator.
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Special Volunteering Opportunities:
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Title:
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Donation Canister Monitor
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Animal Involvement:
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No
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Goal:
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To monitor and collect donation canisters in the local community as a source of income for the League.
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Description:
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Volunteer will distribute, monitor, collect funds from and collect canisters if needed from locations in the Des Moines area. Volunteer will maintain a log of canister locations and the amount collected at each. Volunteer will turn in collected funds to the ARL Development Director on a regular basis. Schedule is flexible.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must have a driver’s license and a means of transportation. Volunteer should know his/her way around Des Moines and be comfortable interacting with the people at each location and with transporting money. Volunteer must have approval of the Volunteer Coordinator.
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Title:
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Follow-up Call Program
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Animal Involvement:
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No
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Goal:
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To reduce the number of animals returned to the League by “following-up” with recent adopters and, when necessary, providing behavioral, medical, and training advice and assistance.
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Description:
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Volunteer will make outbound phone calls from the ARL or his/her home to recent ARL adopters. All calls are made within a few weeks of adoption, so volunteers are encouraged to take only the number of calls they are certain they can accomplish. A script and list of questions to ask are provided. Any contacts that are found to be in need of assistance are forwarded to the appropriate ARL specialists. Volunteers are not asked to make long distance calls.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must have six months of ARL experience and approval of Volunteer Coordinator. Volunteer must complete Follow-up Call Program training and demonstrate professional telephone skills and knowledge of ARL and its policies and procedures.
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Title:
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Gardener
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Animal Involvement:
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No
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Goal:
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To beautify the ARL grounds and maintain a well-kept appearance to the public. To ensure that the ARL is a safe and attractive place to visit and work. To provide a healthy environment for on-site wildlife (birds, bunnies, small critters, etc.).
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Description:
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Volunteer will work on the landscaping around the building as well as other plant related work around the grounds. Volunteer should bring his/her own gardening tools as the ARL has a limited supply. Lawn mowing is also needed.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteer must enjoy gardening and have some basic gardening skills. For any projects other than basic yard care and small plantings, volunteer should seek approval from the Executive Director.
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Title:
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Phone-a-thon Pro
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Animal Involvement:
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No
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Goal:
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To raise funds for the care of the homeless animals at the ARL.
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Description:
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Volunteers will participate in one or both of the ARL’s bi-annual phone-a-thons. Calls will be made to ARL supporters and envelopes will be addressed to those who make pledges. Calls may be made from home.
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Qualifications:
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Volunteers must enjoy talking to people and be dedicated to helping the ARL raise funding. Volunteer must have good phone etiquette and legible handwriting.
**Special Note: This is the perfect opportunity for people who want to help the ARL but don’t have a lot of time to give. Volunteers are not required to attend the ARL volunteer orientation to help with this project.
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Title:
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Photographer
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Animal Involvement:
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Optional
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Goal:
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To record activities of the ARL on film.
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Description:
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Volunteer will take digital photos of ARL events or adoptable pets for use in ARL publications and on the ARL website.
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Qualifications:
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Prior photography experience preferred.
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TLC Program
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Animal Involvement:
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Yes
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Goal:
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To provide temporary care for animals in need in your own home. |
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Description:
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Volunteer will take in special needs animals to care for in their home for a specified period of time.
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Qualifications:
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Must attend volunteer orientation. Complete TLC application and waiver. Home visit will be conducted by ARL Staff. Must attend TLC orientation following completion of above requirements.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc. has been voted the winner of Nickelodeon's 2008 Parents' Picks Award for best place for family community service! Parents from all over the city picked us as the best. Check out our listing on www.parentsConnect.com/ParentsPicks!