Volunteer for dogs like this woman who is helping a pitbull mix at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Volunteer your time with the residents that call this area home

Volunteer shifts must be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Each animal area has a maximum number of volunteers it can accommodate during each shift. To get started, please visit volunteers.bestfriends.org or contact the Sanctuary Volunteer Department at volunteers@bestfriends.org or 435-644-2001, ext. 4119.

We truly appreciate the wonderful work our volunteers do towards making a difference in the animals’ lives and would love to welcome you as a volunteer.

Dogtown Volunteer Projects

There are many ways you can make a difference in helping our dogs find their forever home. While volunteering you might be asked to help with any of the following tasks:

Sweeping or mopping the floors in buildings, runs, or patios
Raking the runs and filling in holes
Taking dogs on walks (weather dependent)
Feeding, along with a caregiver (some dogs have special diets so a caregiver must be present during all feedings)
Socializing (first ask the caregiver if the dog is toy-aggressive)
Brushing
Poop scooping
Cleaning doggie door flaps
Clearing walking trails of rocks, sticks, or poop
Cleaning and refilling water pails
Cleaning and refilling pools in the summer
Taking dogs on an outing (special considerations apply)
Walking the fencing to make sure no holes are being created
Doing other general cleaning and special projects (ask the caregiver)
Wrapping whistles
Making treat pouches for outings and sleepover bags
General office work if you cannot be out in the elements
Washing dishes
Helping with laundry
Weeding runs
Helping out with Dogtown Maintenance

Dogtown Safety Guidelines

To keep you and our animal friends safe, here are a few things that you should be aware of before volunteering:

Closed-toe shoes are required for volunteering in all animal areas. Sneakers or hiking shoes are the preferred footwear and shoes must have a heel strap at minimum. Clog type shoes are not permitted as shoes could fall off while walking or working with animals, climbing ladders or performing other volunteer tasks.

You must be at least 10 years of age to volunteer in Dogtown.
Children under 14 cannot walk dogs by themselves.
Parking and driving are permitted only in designated areas.
You must have your own transportation to the area in which you’re volunteering.
It is very important to clip all gates closed when entering or leaving a dog run.
Please be aware that dogs like to jump up on people, which could cause or exacerbate injuries.
Be careful not to place your face close to a dog’s face in case a biting reaction occurs.
If you see a dog fight starting, blow your whistle until a staff member arrives. Please don’t try to break up a fight yourself.
Dogtown trails are for walking only; running with the dogs is not allowed.
While we welcome your questions about our dog-training procedures, we ask that you please refrain from trying to train them on your own.
Please do not bring your personal pets to Dogtown.
Please do not use cell phones or cameras when you are supervising a dog. This includes walking a dog on or off Sanctuary proper during your volunteer shift or while on an outing or sleepover.