Volunteer for Animal Services
Rochester Animal Services volunteers are essential to the success of the organization. Our volunteers help to enhance the quality of life for animals at the shelter. They extend their time and hearts to the animals. Many activities involve direct contact with the animals but there are many opportunities that also provide supportive and administrative functions.
Regardless of the specific assignment, all volunteers help enrich the animals' time at the shelter, improve customer service, augment the care provided by staff, and promote our programs and services ultimately helping to support adoptions, pet retention, and the human-animal bond. We have many active participants but are always in need of more.
Become a volunteer now!
Requirements for volunteering are:
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- Completion of a Volunteer Application
- Undergoing a criminal record check
- Completion of an orientation and an on-the-job training session
Please contact us if you'd like to volunteer at the shelter, at a special event, or at an off-site adoption location.
- Telephone: 585-428-6788
- Facsimile: 585-428-6130
- Address: 184 Verona St., Rochester, NY 14608
Typical volunteer activities
| Animal Care | Administrative | Shelter support | Community Events & Engagement |
| Dog Walking | Customer service and administrative support | Laundry and dishwashing | Off-site adoption and community events |
| Cat Socialization | Data entry and analysis | Kennel Cleaning | Lost pet reunification |
| Dog playgroups | Shelter Greeters | Transporting Animals | Donation Drives |
| Website content management | In-shelter enrichment | ||
| Self-rehoming support |
Lost pet advocates
Animal Services is recruiting community members who would like to help get lost pets home. Volunteers who become lost pet advocates will receive lawn signs that identify them as a resource for their neighbors to use when a pet goes missing or when a neighbor finds a lost pet.
Lost pet advocates are provided with microchip scanners, lost and found resource packets, other supplies, and training to help get lost pets home without having them enter the shelter.
Rochester's residents interested in serving as lost pet advocates for their neighborhoods may contact Animal Services at (585) 428-7274 or AnimalServices@cityofrochester.gov.
Join our Friends group
The Friends of Verona Street Animal Shelter, Inc. d/b/a Verona Street Animal Society (VSAS) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that helps support the mission of Animal Services through fundraising and promotions. VSAS recruits volunteers to serve on various committees that focus on event planning, fundraising, marketing and advertising, public relations, and foster care. If you are interested in getting involved as a committee member, please email our Volunteer Coordinator.