Josh Ballou
The Broadside

Birds, and cats, and dogs, oh my!

The Humane Society of Central Oregon has been serving the community for 50 years by providing care for thousands of lost, abandoned, neglected, and abused animals throughout the year. HSCO also provides over a dozen services from adoption to spay/neuter, ,volunteer opportunities to pet food assistance.

Volunteering with HSCO is an opportunity for individuals as young as nine years old to help out and make a difference in the lives of animals right here in Central Oregon.

“Our food pantry is really low right now,” said Slusser. “We provide pet food for low income families.” This is just one area that needs immediate attention and could benefit from volunteer assistance. The HSCO has several other opportunities for volunteers to consider, but before the work begins, interested candidates should visit www.HSCO.org and fill out an application.

Below is a list of volunteer opportunitiesfrom the Humane Societies web site.

►Feline Friends: Help groom and provide stimulation for cats & keep their kennels clean. Assist the shelter staff clean cages in the mornings.

►Adoption Counselor Assistant: Counsel and screen potential adopters and help place the appropriate animal(s) into a loving home. Staff off-site adoption events where duties include caring for animals, transportation of animals, counseling prospective adopters, educate the public on topics of pet care, spaying and neutering, and HSCO services.

►Canine Companions: Volunteers: provide exercise and companionship for adoptable dogs.

►Clerical Assistant: Assist shelter staff with office duties such as filing, making copies, filling adoption packet, etc…

►Animal Shelter Greeter: Welcome shelter visitors and point them in the right direction, dispense literature and general information, and make sure the first face they see is a happy one.

►Events & Community Outreach: Provide information about responsible pet ownership at community events, schools, and other opportunities to disseminate information to the community.

►Thrift Store: Assist in sorting, displaying, and sales of items at our Thrift Store. Assisting with weekly furniture pick-up is an additional volunteer opportunity. Our Thrift Store provides 1/3 of our revenue.

►Foster Home Care Program: Provide a temporary home for cats and dogs, kittens and puppies.

►Handyperson: Assist shelter staff when building and grounds projects arise.

►Work from Home: Help with occasional clerical duties or special projects that can be done at home.

►Photo Assistant: To assist staff and pet photographer in taking quality pictures of the adoptable animals.

►Vet Clinic Assistant: To assist clinic staff with cleaning, surgery prep, and other tasks to streamline clinic procedures.

Some volunteer opportunities may require additional training and /or qualifications.

You can contact Josh Ballou at [email protected]