Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Richmond SPCA. Our devoted volunteers help keep the Robins-Starr Humane Center running!
Volunteers are an important part of every department at the Richmond SPCA, and opportunities to serve are numerous and varied. Volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of 6 hours of service per month for a period of 6 months. Please note that new Richmond SPCA volunteers are often assigned to our most urgently needed jobs, such as cleaning and administrative tasks like filing and phone calls. More experienced volunteers are given opportunities for additional training, which allows for animal interaction, training and care. Thanks!
Volunteers must be 16 or older to volunteer independently (without a parent or guardian). Youth volunteers 7 or older may volunteer with a parent or guardian. Youth volunteers aged 11 to 15 may also volunteer as part of our Animal Brigade Junior Volunteer program. The Richmond SPCA does not accept court-mandated volunteers.
The first step is to attend one of our volunteer orientation sessions. During orientation, an overview of our organization and volunteer needs is provided for potential volunteers, who may then supply information about their skills and interests so that they may be matched with volunteer jobs at the Richmond SPCA. Please note, these orientation sessions are not designed to prepare volunteers to become foster care providers. To learn about becoming a foster care volunteer, please click here.
Register and Sign Up for Volunteer Orientation
(New Volunteers without Richmond SPCA website username and password)
OR
Sign Up for Volunteer Orientation
(New Volunteers with Richmond SPCA website username and password)
We encourage interested volunteers to go ahead and sign up now if dates are available above, as orientation dates tend to fill far in advance. If no dates are currently available, please check back in a few weeks or call our volunteer office at 804-521-1329 to find out when new orientation dates will be available.
Why the long wait? Volunteer orientation sessions fill quickly. Once these sessions are full we usually cannot open them up to additional participants or hold orientation sessions more frequently because each of our new volunteers each month needs to be properly trained and oriented. Time is spent with each new valued volunteer to make sure they are getting the most out of their volunteer experience and are signing up for volunteer jobs that are of value to the organization and to the animals. This process helps to maintain the quality of our volunteer program - thanks for understanding!
Are you part of a scout, school, work, neighborhood or other group that's interested in taking on a project that helps animals in our community? Two areas of great need are our Pet Pantry and Feral Cat Colony Caretaking.
- Pet Pantry volunteer groups can conduct pet food drives to help stock our food distribution service for pet owners in need. Learn more.
- Feral Cat Colony volunteer groups can adopt a feral cat colony and help to feed the cats and humanely trap them so that they may be brought to the Richmond SPCA for spaying or neutering and vaccinations, and returned to their habitat. For more information about this volunteer opportunity, please call 804-521-1312.
- Dog Jog and 5K Run Helpers. For more information about this volunteer opportunity please call 804-521-1329.
- Group Projects Listed Above
- Special Events and Fundraisers (need based)
For more information about volunteer projects that do not require orientation, please call 804-521-1329.
Sign Up for Volunteer Jobs
For more information about volunteering at the Richmond SPCA, please contact the volunteer department by phone at 804-521-1329 or by e-mail.
Thank you for offering your time and energy!