Become a Volunteer
Be the Difference They're Waiting For
Why Your Time Matters
At the Kearney Area Animal Shelter, volunteers are the heartbeat of our operation. Your dedication and compassion directly impact the lives of animals in need, providing them with love, care, and hope while they await their forever homes. Whether you're walking dogs, socializing cats, assisting with adoptions, or helping at events, every moment you give enriches the lives of our furry residents and improves their chances of finding loving families.
Volunteering at KAAS isn't just about helping animals—it's a rewarding experience that benefits you too. You'll gain valuable skills in animal care, build lasting friendships with fellow animal lovers, and experience the joy of making a tangible difference in your community. Our volunteers often find that the unconditional love and gratitude they receive from our animals far outweighs the time they give. Join us in creating happy endings for pets in need—your time and love can change lives, one paw at a time.
FAQs
Find answers to common questions about volunteering at KAAS
A volunteer must be 16 years old to volunteer without a legal guardian. Children between the ages of 10 and 16 may volunteer when accompanied by a parent/guardian who is a registered volunteer. Every volunteer under the age of 19 must have a signed parental consent form, unless the volunteer is enrolled in college and not living at home.
To become a volunteer for KAAS, you'll need to:
- Complete a volunteer application once the program reopens.
- Attend volunteer orientation which is required of all volunteers.
- This class is approximately an hour long and scheduled by the Volunteer Coordinator based on their schedule and the perspective volunteer's schedule. Orientation is designed to give volunteers an overview of what to expect as a volunteer, an overview of the shelter, and our programs, policies, and procedures.
That's why volunteer at the shelter is so great - you volunteer based off YOUR schedule!
After your orientation, we suggest you volunteer at least 4 hours per month to get the most out of your volunteer experience. We have no required minimum commitment, but we ask that you volunteer for 1 hour every 6 months.
Volunteers are needed every day! Our general hours are listed below. During orientation, volunteers will be shown how to schedule themselves via their volunteer profile for available volunteer time slots.
- Monday-Friday
- 10 am - Noon
- 1 pm - 4pm
- Saturday
- 11 am - 3 pm
- Sunday
- Noon - 3 pm
Yes! Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator so we can work with you to make the most of your project.
We accept volunteers who have court ordered community service hours, with some restrictions. These volunteers do not have any contact with shelter pets and may only perform cleaning tasks. Once hours are fulfilled for your offense, volunteers are welcome to go through cat and dog classes to become hands-on with the shelter animals as a volunteer.
- Your offense must not involve a violent crime, theft, drugs, or assault.
- You must not have a law enforcement history regarding the Kearney Area Animal Shelter.
- You must provide all information regarding the court order and/or probation/diversion officer information for follow up by our organization.