OUR VOLUNTEER
Your Time Saves Lives: Become a Hands-On Hero for Animals in Need
Volunteering with FURPA is a deeply rewarding experience
We rely on the dedicated service of our volunteers, who are the compassionate force multiplier of our organization, essential for providing the individualized attention that rescued animals require to heal. Whether you have a few hours a week or can commit to a long-term project, your time is a vital resource that saves lives and restores confidence in abused and neglected pets. As a volunteer, you become an integral part of the rehabilitation process, providing the consistency and gentle interaction that teaches these animals to trust humans again. We provide comprehensive training and flexible scheduling, ensuring that your experience is meaningful, safe, and tailored to your interests and comfort level. By joining our team, you are not just walking a dog or cleaning a kennel; you are actively contributing to the psychological and physical recovery of an animal, preparing them for their second chance at a permanent and loving home, making a tangible difference with every hour you give.
Diverse Opportunities: Find the Perfect Role to Match Your Skills and Passion
Our most critical needs often lie in direct animal care roles, such as Dog Walkers who provide essential exercise and socialization, and Feline Friends who spend time providing quiet interaction and play for our cats, helping them acclimate to human companionship. We also urgently need Foster Homes, who provide a temporary, loving home environment for animals recovering from medical procedures or those who simply thrive better outside of a kennel setting, an absolutely critical service for pets needing extra socialization. For those who prefer non-animal roles, we welcome Administrative Assistants to help with data entry and adoption application follow-ups, Event Coordinators to assist Ricardo with outreach and fundraising logistics, and skilled Grant Writers to help secure vital funding. Every volunteer receives proper orientation and training, ensuring they are prepared for their role and understand the high standards of ethical care and low-stress handling that define the FURPA environment, making their service impactful and deeply appreciated.
The Ripple Effect: How Your Service Transforms Lives, Human and Animal
The impact of volunteering at FURPA is both immediate and long-lasting. For the animals, your presence provides the one-on-one attention—the extra walk, the gentle brushing, the comforting lap time—that simply cannot be provided by a small paid staff alone, directly speeding up their emotional healing and making them more adoptable. This increased social readiness means less time spent in a shelter environment and a quicker transition to their forever homes. Furthermore, your time directly frees up our professional staff, allowing our veterinary and behavioral teams to focus on complex medical and training cases, maximizing the impact of our specialized resources. For the community, you become a powerful ambassador, helping us host more events, process more applications, and educate more potential adopters. Every hour you contribute translates into more successful placements, a stronger organizational infrastructure, and a more compassionate community committed to animal welfare, proving that the gift of your time is the most valuable donation of all.
Programs/Services
Pets Served and Adoption Services
FURPA specializes in the two most common companion animals, dogs and cats, dedicating our veterinary and behavior resources to handling the complex needs these populations often present, including both young, high-energy individuals and frail, hospice-eligible seniors. Our services are tailored to the unique physiological and social requirements of each species. For dogs, this includes mandatory temperament testing and customized training to ensure public safety and compatibility. For cats, our focus is on creating quiet, stress-free catteries and managing common issues like shyness or inappropriate litter box use. Beyond direct adoption services, we offer Emergency Re-homing Assistance, providing a safe, non-judgmental option for owners who can no longer care for their pet, ensuring the animal avoids the traditional shelter system and transitions immediately into our low-stress environment for eventual re-adoption. This comprehensive net ensures that regardless of the pet’s species or circumstances, they receive a tailored pathway to health and happiness.