Volunteer Programs
Transform Lives
Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our mission, providing essential care, comfort, and hope to homeless pets. From daily tasks to heartfelt hugs, your time and talents make a profound difference in the lives of our furry friends.
Join us today! Every moment you give transforms lives!
“Walking dogs on weekends has been so rewarding. Seeing their happy tails and knowing I’m helping them find homes makes my day!” – Mark T.
Why Help?
- Make a Difference: Your efforts directly help our animals and support community programs.
- Build Connections: Join a passionate group of animal lovers and make new friends in the Chequamegon Bay Area.
- Gain Experience: Develop skills in areas like grant writing, event planning, or animal care, perfect for students or professionals.
Volunteer Opportunities
Explore the many ways you can get involved. Whether you’re tending to our animals’ daily needs, assisting with shelter upkeep, or spreading joy with a cuddle, every moment you give transforms lives. Beyond hands-on care, you can shine at adoption events, lead fundraising efforts in our community, or share your unique skills to support our mission.
Dog & Cat Buddy
Spend quality time with our animals to help them become The Lucky Ones! Dog & Cat Buddies assist with socialization, playtime, and basic care.
- Scheduling: We prefer volunteers to sign up for specific days and times, but it’s not required.
- Time Commitment: Flexible; typically 1–2 hours per visit, all days, 11:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Weekend Dog Walker
Our staff needs extra hands on weekends to focus on animal care. Weekend Dog Walkers help with walking dogs and cleaning kennels at key times:
- Times: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday.
- Time Commitment: 1–2 hours per shift; schedule in advance.
Home & Adventure Squad
Give an animal a break from the shelter! Explore local trails on a day outing or enjoy quality time at home overnight to provide our animals with adventure, comfort, and companionship away from the shelter.
- Times: Pick up and drop off: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Wednesday – Sunday.
- Time Commitment: Day outings, up to 9 hours. Overnight outings, minimum 14 hours; schedule in advance.
Laundry Attendant
Keep our shelter clean and cozy for our animals! Laundry Room Attendants wash bedding and dishes, ensuring our pets have sanitary spaces and clean bowls.
- Tasks: Switch laundry loads, wash dishes, and keep the laundry area tidy.
- Hours Needed: Daily, 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
- Time Commitment: Flexible; 1–3 hours per shift, any day of the week.
Property
Care Crew
Contribute to our shelter’s upkeep by performing property maintenance tasks, such as mowing the lawn, edging, cleanup, and basic repairs, to create a safe environment for our animals, visitors, and staff.
- Tasks: Mowing lawn, edging, clean-up, and basic maintenance as needed.
- Hours Needed: Indoor work: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
- Time Commitment: Flexible; schedule indoor work in advance.
Professional Advocate
Utilize your office and professional skills to assist with various administrative duties and professional functions, helping our shelter run smoothly by supplementing our staff’s workload.
- Tasks: Clerical work, social media, photography, or other functions as needed.
- Hours Needed: Onsite, 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Remote, flexible.
- Time Commitment: Varies; schedule in advance.
Community Ambassador
Help sustain our programs by actively engaging with the community to raise funds for veterinary care, shelter needs, and vital programs for low-income pet owners. Community Fundraising Ambassadors focus on building partnerships and gathering support from local businesses and residents.
- Tasks: Solicit donations from local businesses, establish community partnerships, and promote our mission to encourage financial support.
- Time Commitment: Flexible; schedule in advance based on availability and outreach plans.
Event Team
Bring energy and enthusiasm to our fundraising and adoption events, helping to spread joy and find forever homes for our animals. Event Crew members assist with organizing and executing events to support our shelter’s mission.
- Tasks: Assist with event setup, ticket sales, registration, teardown, and organizing new fundraising or adoption events. We welcome fresh ideas to make our events impactful!
- Hours Needed: Varies based on event meetings and schedule; primarily weekends or evenings.
- Time Commitment: Flexible; schedule in advance.
Grant Champions
Help us secure vital funding to support our shelter’s programs and care for our animals. Grant Writing Champions scout for grant opportunities, craft compelling applications, and proofread submissions to ensure our mission thrives.
- Tasks: Research and identify grant opportunities, write and submit grant applications, and proofread proposals for accuracy and impact.
- Hours Needed: Flexible; work remotely.
- Time Commitment: Varies. Ideal for those with or seeking experience in grant writing, including college students looking for internship opportunities.
Who Can Help?
- No shelter experience is required. We welcome individuals, families, and groups to join our compassionate team.
- We welcome animal lovers of all ages to join our mission!
- Adults 18 or older can participate independently.
- Teens between 16 & 17 may volunteer with parental consent. They will receive supervision tailored to each role, ensuring a safe and rewarding opportunity to make a difference for our animals.
- Children under 16 are encouraged to get involved alongside a parent or guardian for a fun, family-friendly experience.
Foster Application
Ready to make a difference? For questions on the process or application, reach out to Jayme Morey at 715-682-9744 or CHAadopt@yahoo.com. Our animals and our staff can’t wait to welcome you to our foster family!
Online—Preferred Method
On your desktop, tablet, or phone, click the Online form to open it. For a smooth experience, review the instructions on the first page before proceeding.
The form has multiple pages to complete. If you need to pause, you can Save and Return with the link provided. Once complete, click Submit Application. You will receive a confirmation email with a PDF copy of your completed form for your records.
PDF Method - Manual Alternate (Not Preferred)
Complete the form in one of two ways:
- Electronically in a PDF Reader: Open the PDF, then save it to your device. Then complete the form in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download, other readers may not function properly). Save the completed PDF, then email it to CHAadopt@yahoo.com.
- Manually Print & Deliver: Open the form and print. Complete the form, including the application and release. Deliver the completed form:
- Scan and email to CHAadopt@yahoo.com.
- Mail to Chequamegon Humane Association, PO Box 93, Ashland, WI 54806.
- Drop off at 923 Rail Drive, Ashland, WI 54806 during visitor hours (Wednesday–Sunday, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM).
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