Volunteer with us

Animal lovers wanted! If you enjoy spending time with pets or helping behind the scenes, there’s a place for you at Ripley County Humane Society.

Our volunteers help in many ways, including walking dogs, socializing cats, cleaning, doing yard work, assisting with events, and more. No experience is needed — just a kind heart and a willingness to help.

No matter your skills or interests, there’s a role for you!

Pet care opportunities

Pet care and enrichment

Love spending time with animals? Help walk dogs, prep toys and puzzles, or supervise playtime in the yard. You can also assist with basic training or spend quiet time socializing cats in our cat rooms.

Foster support

Open your home to a dog or cat in need. Fostering helps animals relax and heal before adoption. We also need short-term or emergency fosters to step in when needed.

Transport and errands

Lend a hand by driving animals to vet appointments or picking up supplies. Whether it’s pet food, litter, or donations, you’ll be helping keep things moving.

Other ways to help with pet care

Pitch in with baths, brushing, nail trims, or cage and kennel cleaning. If you’re detail-oriented, you can also help us track animal behavior and progress with simple note taking.

Operations opportunities

Office & administrative support

Help at the front desk by greeting visitors, answering phones, and handling basic office tasks. You can also support adoption counseling by chatting with potential adopters and helping them find the right match. If you’re detail-oriented, we can use help with data entry, organizing paperwork, and tracking supplies like food, litter, and office materials.

Communications & outreach

Use your creative side to help animals get noticed. Take photos of pets and events, write social media posts, or contribute to our blog or newsletter. If you’re interested in fundraising, you can help with donor outreach, grant research, or spreading the word in the community through flyers and school or business connections.

Remote or flexible tasks

Use your skills from home to help with graphic design, create flyers or social media content, translate materials, and keep our website updated with adoptable pets, events, and news. This is a great fit for volunteers who prefer a flexible schedule.

Maintenance opportunities

Grounds and facility care

Help keep our outdoor spaces tidy and safe. You can mow, rake, trim, or help plant and maintain gardens. We also welcome help with fencing, pressure washing, or keeping play areas clean and animal-friendly.

Indoor maintenance

Lend a hand with cleaning staff spaces, doing laundry, or organizing supplies. If you’re handy, we could use help with small repairs, painting, or deep-cleaning kennels under staff guidance.

Special projects and tech support

Skilled in carpentry, renovation, or general repairs? Help with building projects and upkeep around the shelter. We also welcome certified mechanics or hobbyists for van maintenance, and licensed pros in HVAC, electrical, or plumbing to assist with key repairs.

Tech and IT support

Help us with basic tech needs like troubleshooting Wi-Fi, printers, and computers. We also need support managing and updating our WordPress website, keeping it secure and running smoothly. If you have experience with antivirus, anti-malware, data backups, or improving security across devices, your help would be a huge asset.