Volunteering at NHA

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Interested in becoming a volunteer at NHA?  Apply here!  

Volunteer Guidelines and Information

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Nashville Humane Association (NHA)! Hundreds of individuals, passionate about helping homeless animals, make it possible for us to care for and adopt out more than 3,300 animals each year, and we are grateful for their dedication and assistance.

(See examples of our exceptional volunteers in our Volunteer of the Month page.)

Volunteer Positions: 

We offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to include volunteers in every step of the rescue, sheltering, and adoption process. At NHA you can volunteer to do almost anything rather it be hands-on animal care or administrative work! Our Volunteer Program is broken into the following 5 Volunteer Teams to allow volunteers to focus on the area or areas that they are most passionate about: Dog Care Team, Cat Care Team, Community Outreach Team, Pet Services Team, and Shelter Operations Team. Each Team has various positions within it so that you can find the position most suitable for you. So rather you enjoy walking dogs, cuddling kittens, attending events, assisting with adoptions, or even helping out with laundry, we have a place for you!

Age Limitations:

• Minimum age is 16 years old for any independent volunteering or volunteering in a small group.
• Volunteers between the ages of 13 and 15 must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. The parent or guardian and the volunteer must both submit an application to become a volunteer, must complete the necessary training together, and must volunteer together.
• Young people (under the age of 13) are not permitted to serve as volunteers on shelter property but can serve through a variety of school and at-home activities that support the animals in our care. For more information, please click here for ways kids under 13 may help fulfill the mission of NHA.

*Please Note: For safety of our volunteers, staff, and animals, no exceptions can be made to the age limitation policies.

Time Expectations: All volunteers are encouraged to commit to long-term, consistent volunteering with NHA. Consistent volunteer service offers the most benefit to the shelter residents and assistance to fellow volunteers and potential adopters. As we must observe specific safety, sanitation protocols, and training requirements for the safety and welfare of the animals, our program is not designed for single visits or short-term opportunities (i.e. scholarship, school, or community service hours totaling less than 30).

Community Service: Please Note: While NHA does accept volunteers who are completing mandated community service hours, these volunteers will be limited to serving in general shelter maintenance positions and will not be permitted to work directly with the animals while completing these hours.

Training Requirements: Our Volunteer Training Process consists of three basic components: an online Orientation, online Animal Behavior Training Modules, and in-person Shadow Days. These are completed after your volunteer application has been reviewed and accepted by NHA. Training for some volunteer positions will vary slightly from this process if they do not require hands-on animal care or if they require a special level of skill and knowledge.

Internet Access Requirement:  Our Volunteer Program requires that all volunteers have access to internet and email. Our volunteer site is online and volunteers are required to use this site to apply, complete training, and sign up for their volunteer shifts. Additionally, the primary source of communication with volunteers is through email so volunteers must have access to a functioning email address.

Group / Corporate Volunteering

Interested in volunteering with your work colleagues or social organization? We offer two opportunities for this – Group Volunteering and Corporate Volunteering. Both are offered only on weekdays during our business hours (10am-5pm) and require that you apply at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the date you wish to volunteer so that we can plan accordingly. Below are further details on each opportunity.

• Group Volunteering: To participate in a Group Volunteer Day at NHA we require a minimum donation of $100 to NHA to cover the cost of supplies and staff time. Our Corporate Volunteer Day activities last about 2 or so hours depending on what we need at the shelter that day and we allow up to 12 people to participate.

• Corporate Volunteering: To participate in a Corporate Volunteer Day at NHA we require a minimum donation of $250 to NHA to cover the cost of supplies and staff time. Our Corporate Volunteer Day activities last about 2 or so hours depending on what we need at the shelter that day and we allow up to 20 people to participate.

Apply here to participate in a Group or Corporate Volunteer Day!