in a vet clinic, a young person cuddling with a cat and smiling

Available Opportunities:

More information on each role is listed below.

Foster Homes + Coordinator

Community Outreach Events

Fundraising Events

Clinic Assistance

Marketing

Pet Food Pantry Coordinator

Welcome to the People for Animals volunteer program!

We appreciate your interest in our organization and share your desire to make the world a more humane place for animals.  In addition to loving our animals, we need your help to achieve our mission.  By offering to donate your time and skills, you can help increase our staff’s capacity to do their work.  There is no such thing as a small task and your efforts will provide invaluable support!  There are many ways to lend a helping hand, whether you are: scanning & filing documents, cleaning our clinic space, helping at events around the community, or fundraising for our nonprofit organization and the animals we help.  We depend on our volunteer team to help us ensure a brighter future for animals.  

** Due to insurance requirements, volunteers must be 18 years or older.  **

Volunteer Process

  1. Please review all of the below-listed responsibilities and requirements for the volunteer opportunity you would like to pursue.
  2. Fill out the Volunteer Application. You will receive an email containing our Virtual Orientation materials.   Please allow for up to five (5) business days for a personalized response.
  3. Review our Orientation Powerpoint.
  4. Read the PFA Volunteer e-Handbook
  5. Sign the PFA Liability Waiver and Volunteer Agreement.
  6. Schedule a phone interview with PFA’s Development Manager to review the requirements and responsibilities of your volunteer opportunity.
  7. Attend training as-needed for specific jobs.
  8. Begin scheduling regular shifts with your PFA staff supervisor (Local clinic manager / Whole Families Program manager / Fundraising manager / etc.)

We are committed to supporting your role as a volunteer by offering you consistent, thorough, and professional training.  Our volunteer training program is designed to keep you safe and to enhance your skills.  As you become familiar with our volunteer opportunities, you may develop new interests.  If would like to try a new program, let us know. We will be happy to utilize your skills & enthusiasm, and get you started!

QUESTIONS?  Please contact Eric Larnick, Volunteer Manager at volunteers@pfaonline.org.

Responsibilities & Requirements

CLINIC ASSISTANCE

The primary responsibility is to assist our staff, and increase our team’s capacity to do their work.  Essential tasks include: 

  • Running laundry cycles
  • Cleaning empty cages
  • Sweeping lobby areas & hallways
  • Phone-banking for incoming requests from clients
  • Spring / Summer landscaping (outside)
  • Filing and scanning documents
  • Additional as-needed assistance

Shifts are flexible and work with your schedule, however we ask that volunteers maintain a regular week-to-week commitment in order to build dependability.  PFA is a medical facility staffed by trained professionals.  As such, there will be no animal handling for new clinic volunteers.  Volunteers who display commitment and initiative will be rewarded with more trusting responsibilities over time, and may have the opportunity to learn how to provide hands-on care to animals.  

Apply Here

***

COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS

Volunteers are needed to help with our free Outreach Events in the communities served by our non-profit veterinary clinics. These events typically occur once per season on a Saturday morning/afternoon, and occur at either our clinics or in a neighboring community location.  These events are extremely popular and can bring 150 to 200 people with multiple animals. Our free Outreach Events provide preventative care to animals in the greatest need.  Areas without access to affordable veterinary care need your help!

Desired qualifications:

  • Bi-lingual
  • Animal-handling experience that follows the Pets For Life Model
  • Must be willing to commute to metropolitan areas like Trenton or Newark.  

The volunteer jobs will be:

  • Spanish and English-speaking volunteers to help with paperwork & answer questions
  • Handing out and collecting pet parent surveys
  • Distributing water to prevent overheating, and providing essential cat carriers & dog leashes for animal safety
  • Managing the line to reduce the possibility of dog fights, and directing people to the designated areas to toilet their dogs
  • We will be working inside and outside, so please dress for the weather in clothes that you do not mind getting dirty – more info about appropriate clothing will be provided in our volunteer orientation.

Apply Here

***

FOSTER HOMES – WHOLE FAMILIES PROGRAM

All of us have experienced tragedy and difficulties in our lives.  One problem can lead to a major crisis: the loss of your transportation, home, job, divorce, loss of a loved one, even domestic violence. A mental or physical health issue can result in an extended hospital and/or rehabilitation stay. These are just a few of the many reasons that people and their pets need the help of the Whole Families Program (WFP).

People participating in our WFP are facing a major crisis in their life and some of them need us to care for their pets while they resolve the issues in their life that could lead to the surrender of their beloved pet.  People and their pets form a lasting bond and keeping them together is imperative for their physical and mental health.

You can keep them together!  We need foster homes located throughout New Jersey that are able to take a pet and care for them for one (1) to six (6) months until their pet parent is able to take them back.  PFA will provide pet food, supplies and veterinary care while you provide a loving home and attention.

FOSTER COORDINATOR – WHOLE FAMILIES PROGRAM

Do you love animals and enjoy helping others? Are you a good organizer and multi-tasker? If so, we need you to help coordinate our foster care program! We have foster pets in homes throughout the state and we need help:

  • Transporting animals
  • Picking up pet food and supply donations
  • Matching foster pets with foster homes
  • Ensuring foster families have enough pet food and supplies
  • Additional as-needed assistance

PET FOOD PANTRY COORDINATOR – WHOLE FAMILIES PROGRAM

Pet Food Pantry Coordinators are needed in Hillside, Robbinsville and Millville. If you live locally and are a good organizer we need your help!  Some tasks include:

  • Canvassing local stores for donations of pet food and supplies
  • Informing the WFP director when donations are needed
  • Helping pick up donations
  • Keeping the pantry stocked and organized
  • Helping WFP clients and foster families pick up their pet food and supplies as needed

Apply Here

***

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

We need additional support at our Annual Tricky Tray; date & location are to be determined, but it typically occurs in September on a weekend evening, in northern New Jersey.  Duties can include:

  • Pre-event set up 
  • Post-event break down
  • Handing out prizes to contest winners
  • Staffing tables
  • Selling raffle tickets
  • Distributing fliers & other PFA promotional materials
  • Photography

Other potential off-site event opportunities throughout New Jersey will be explored as they become available!  

Apply Here

***

MARKETING

Photography: Professional photographers needed to photograph clinic activities, events, etc.

Videography: Videos of PFA programs, animals, and events

Apply Here

***

QUESTIONS?

Please contact Eric Larnick, Volunteer Manager at volunteers@pfaonline.org.

Social Media Ambassadors

PFA invites you to participate in extending our reach into the community by becoming a Social Media Ambassador. You can help raise awareness of our services and programs on social media and at the same time, raise our awareness of you, our supporter. #PFAambassador

Become a Social Media Ambassador
Ambassadorship is one way to volunteer for PFA – no application required! Simply sign up to receive #PFAambassador emails by clicking below.  PFA is active on several social media platforms. We’re organizing ambassadors across platforms through emails we will send to your inbox. We’ll give you the scoop on PFA’s programs and projects and highlight relevant hashtags.

Though your participation takes place online, occasionally we will our ambassadors to join us at one of our outreach, fundraising, or community events. Your participation in an event is not required, we would just like to see you!!

What we’re asking ambassadors to do
In addition to reading #PFAambassador emails:

  • Add PFA on your favorite social media platforms.
  • Share your stories and what you love about PFA – maybe an upcoming event, a recent Facebook post, your pet or what you’re reading, watching and listening to.
  • Use a certain hashtag when we encourage you to do so – for instance, tell others “I am a #PFAambassador” to show your support for PFA.

Apply Here

Kids Volunteer Guide

Are you an animal loving family? Fostering is for you!

Are you a great organizer? Hold a Supply Drive or Donate A Party to PFA!

Are you an entrepreneur? Hold a fundraising event!

View Kids Volunteer Guide