Volunteer
Homeward Trails has rescued nearly 30,000 animals through an amazing network of dedicated volunteers who perform a variety of tasks that help save the lives of dogs and cats in need. Volunteers are critical to our success and perform many vital functions at Homeward Trails. We could not do what we do without our wonderful volunteers!
You will find a number of opportunities that allow you to participate in a meaningful way with the flexibility to participate as your schedule allows. Please note that most of our volunteer opportunities require volunteers to be over 18 years of age. If you are under 18 and looking to help out please refer to our Youth Volunteers page.
Fostering – Provide a temporary home for a rescued animal until an adoptive home is secured. If you’re interested in fostering, please check out our Foster Program.
Application Screening – join our dynamic cat and dog adoption teams and help us save more animals by screening adoption applications or assisting our Adoption Coordinators by doing vet and rental reference checks!
Adoption Counseling – Spend time on the weekends at the Adoption Center helping match adopters with their new furry friends. Adoption Counselors screen adopters and finalize adoptions – a fun an rewarding job!
Transportation – Drive animals from our shelters partners, to and from adoption events, and take our animals to medical appointments
Events – Provide support for adoption events and/or special fundraising events throughout the year. To check out some of our upcoming events, visit our Events Page. We also need Event Coordinators to help run our cat and dog adoption events.
Fundraising – Help us raise needed funds to keep going! Consider an office donation drive; accept donations in lieu of gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries; hold an event at your home, at your favorite bar, at your church…anywhere you enjoy spending time; hold a bake sale; create an online giving page; set up a giving page on Facebook; and more! Ask us about all the different ways you can help raise needed funds for our animals. Contact donate@homewardtrails.org.
Administrative and Office – Help us file, clean crates, make adoption folders, make copies and all the other tasks that help us keep our operation going! Contact volunteer@homewardtrails.org.
Volunteer at Meow Palace – Help care for, socialize and clean up after our resident adoptable cats. We always need more volunteers and we have morning and evening shifts available 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Contact kelseym@homewardtrails.org.
Volunteer at the Adoption Center – Help our staff care for, socialize and clean up after our resident dogs. We always need more volunteers and we have hours available 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Contact centervolunteers@homewardtrails.org.
Group Volunteers – We love large groups of volunteers who can help us accomplish big projects at the Homeward Trails Adoption Center located in Fairfax Station, VA. If you would like to schedule a volunteer project for your office of civic organization please contact rebeccag@homewardtrails.org.
Other – If you have an idea for volunteering, share it with us! We love new ideas. Contact volunteer@homewardtrails.org
You can become an HT volunteer by completing our Volunteer Questionnaire below. After you fill it out, our volunteer coordinator will follow up with you.
