Volunteering

Join our fantastic team of volunteers. You could help with the daily work of cleaning and feeding our orphan animals, walking our dogs, taking animals on therapy visits or simply sitting quietly and stroking a frightened cat.

Volunteering at the Animal Centres

Animal centre volunteers during weekdays and weekends clean, feed and care for our animals in both our Newtown and Waikanae animal centres. The work includes hands-on cleaning, setting out food and toys, grooming cats and getting puppies used to seeing and hearing traffic, skateboards and children walking by.

Volunteers must be over 16 years old to work at Wellington SPCA and must be able to understand the importance of strict compliance with cleanliness and safety procedures in a shelter and animal hospital environment.

Volunteer work areas at our Newtown Animal Centre

Dog Run

Volunteers must be aged 18 years or older and confident handling dogs of all shapes and sizes. Some dogs come to us with little or no training. Work in the dog run includes cleaning the 12 dog runs and the dog exercise yard, feeding the orphan dogs and providing toys and attention. Gumboots and overalls are provided.

Dog Training

Dog walkers take our orphan dogs out of the shelter and teach them to walk politely on a lead, to stop at curbs and sit quietly while traffic, people and other dogs pass by. Dogs with good basic manners are much easier to adopt into loving new homes. Full training is given to volunteers.

Puppy Run

Volunteers must be confident around puppies and small dogs. Up to 25 homeless puppies at a time are housed in our Puppy Run. Work includes cleaning the puppy bed pens and the puppy exercise yards, feeding the puppies and setting up beds, toys and play areas. Puppies can be scared of new experiences. Wellington SPCA puppies are carried to the road, where they can see and hear adults and children walking, running, cycling and skateboarding past. They also get used to the sound of cars, trucks and fire engines. Volunteers help train even our smallest puppies to sit quietly for attention. Gumboots and overalls are provided.

Cat Run

Up to 100 homeless cats are housed in four adjacent cat runs. Work includes cleaning the cat runs and litter boxes, feeding and grooming cats and playing with kittens.

Clinic

All lost and stray cats are housed in our clinic for seven days before they are eligible for adoption and move to one of the cat runs. Many animals come to us feeling hungry, scared, stressed and sometimes sick. They need especially gentle and quiet handling while they settle in. Other small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and turtles are also housed in the clinic area. Work includes cleaning cages, preparing bedding, toys and food for these homeless animals. Overalls are provided.

Animal Hospital

Volunteers must have some training in the veterinary area, usually as a vet nurse. Work in the hospital includes cleaning cages, setting up bedding, feeding and moving ill and injured animals.

Reception and Shop

Volunteers must have good computer skills and experience working with members of the public. Our vet clinic, hospital and incoming homeless animal areas are all very busy every day, so volunteers at the front desk must enjoy coping with lots of people, animals and pressure.

Animal therapy

Animal therapy volunteers take specially selected shelter animals to members of the community who would benefit from the companionship of our animals and volunteers. Animal therapy volunteers make regular visits to retirement homes, hospitals, hospices, disabled people and youth at risk. We are looking for outgoing people who enjoy interacting with both people and animals. Animal therapy volunteers need to have their own reliable transport and be at least 18 years old.

Volunteer work areas at our Waikanae Animal Centre

Dog and Puppy Run

Volunteers must be confident handling dogs and puppies of all shapes and sizes. Some dogs come to us with little or no training. Work in the dog run includes cleaning the dog runs, feeding the dogs and providing toys and attention. Puppies can be scared of new experiences. Volunteers help train even our smallest puppies to sit quietly for attention. Gumboots and overalls are provided.

Cat Run

Up to 40 homeless cats are housed in two adjacent cat rooms. Work includes cleaning the cat runs and litter boxes, feeding and grooming cats and playing with kittens.

Clinic

All lost and stray cats are housed in our clinic for seven days before they are eligible for adoption and move to one of the cat runs. Many animals come to us feeling hungry, scared, stressed and sometimes sick. They need especially gentle and quiet handling while they settle in. Other small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and turtles are also housed in the clinic area. Work includes cleaning cages, preparing bedding, toys and food for these homeless animals.

Education

Education volunteers help with delivering educational presentations to preschool, primary, intermediate and college-age students as well as adult groups. Hands-on training is provided with the Education Officer. In this position you can also assist in developing new lessons and programmes and in creating new resources and materials. For this role you must be at least 18 years of age, reliable and have experience with animals, children and speaking to groups.

A police check is required for this position.

Those interested in volunteering are invited to fill in the application form. Volunteers who meet the above criteria will be invited for an interview with the volunteer coordinator before being assigned a regular volunteer area and shift.