It is based on 3 levels:
Paw 1 - All volunteers start here! The Paw 1 level allows volunteers to get familiar with the shelter, staff, and what goes on behind the scenes. Volunteers will be at this level for their first 5 hours. As a Paw 1 volunteer, you will help with laundry, community events, or provide additional support to our administration staff or clinic.
Paw 2 - After completing your initial 5 hours of service, you can shadow one of our Dog Care or Cat Care mentors. At this level, volunteers can walk dogs, cuddle with kittens, and work in the cat rooms. Our Mentors will be able to answer any questions Paw 1 volunteers might have!
Paw 3 - For any volunteers looking to grow in the program, you can train to be a THS Mentor or a holding kennel volunteer. Both require a certain amount of volunteer hours completed at the shelter along with training. Volunteers at this level have demonstrated a higher level of commitment and time spent at the shelter!
*Please note that Junior Volunteers are between the ages of 10-15 and must be accompanied by the adult who attended orientation at all times.*
Click the button below to sign up for orientation! If there are no options available, then class is full! Check back again on the 1st of next month!
*We will be accepting Junior Volunteers in June. Please do not sign up for orientation if you need service hours or community service hours.*
Orientation is full this month!Volunteers support all areas of our organization from dog walking and kitten cuddling, to office assistance, fostering, working in our retail shop and so much more. Join us and see for yourself the huge impact you can make!
We request that our volunteers commit to at least 6 hours per month.
Log Your Volunteer Hours HereAll volunteers must attend an orientation. There is a $25 orientation fee that includes your badge and t-shirt. At orientation, you will learn about our volunteer program and the volunteer opportunities that we offer. You will also fill out a volunteer application.
All volunteers should be current on tetanus vaccinations and carry health insurance. Please signup to attend an upcoming orientation class below. Once you sign up for an orientation class, you will receive an e-mail reminder a few days before orientation with more information.
For those of you who are interested in becoming dog walkers you will need to attend a second separate training session led by a THS Mentor. Dog walking is a very important job here at the shelter. You will need to be able to walk dogs in all types of weather and not mind getting dirty.
Need to complete service hours for school? Look over the projects you can work on at HOME! There are plenty of toys, blankets, or treats that you can create in the comfort of your own home to collect hours - while helping the animals!
Volunteer At HomeIf you're interested in volunteering with us, please look over our handbook for more information and our policies.
Volunteer HandbookWhether you’ve lost your pet or found a stray, click here for a list of available resources to help you during this stressful time.
Lost and Found PetsThe Hope and Recovery Pet (HARP) Program is a unique collaborative effort between ProMedica, the Toledo Humane Society, and the University of Toledo. HARP connects adults referred by area mental health providers with companion animals from THS to improve the lives of both. For more information about HARP, contact Gaye Martin at ProMedica: 567-585-7426 or gaye.martin@promedica.org
Our network of foster volunteers allows us to provide specialized care to more animals in need while also opening space at the shelter for more homeless pets.
Learn MoreThe Toledo Humane Society is making positive change for thousands of deserving animals each year.
Mission Statement: The Toledo Humane Society leads the community in efforts focused on relieving the suffering of, preventing cruelty to and providing for the humane treatment of animals.
