Become a PBHSN Volunteer
Make a Difference
Please note we are currently only onboarding new volunteers for non-animal-care-related roles.
Thank you for your interest in learning about volunteering with Patty Baker Humane Society Naples! Our volunteers are integral members of our team, and they play a vital role in helping us achieve our life-saving mission.
Our volunteer program is designed for individuals 14 years of age or older who are willing to make a significant commitment of their time, energy, talents and skills to support our team. We have a number of different opportunities, depending on your interests.
Volunteers support us in various ways such as guest services, community outreach and events, administrative functions, housekeeping, driving and animal care.
- Please note we are currently only onboarding new volunteers for non-animal-care-related roles.
- Volunteers in our animal areas are required to help with cleaning, laundry, feeding and creating enrichment items in addition to socializing our dogs, cats and other small animals.
Our staff invests a substantial amount of time in our new volunteer training, and we ask our new volunteers to do the same. We also ask our new volunteers to commit to at least three volunteer shifts (3-4 hours each) per month for at least three months after they complete their training.
Ways to Volunteer
Please open the bullet points below to read important information regarding the requirements for each role.
Donation Sorting
Location: Main Shelter
We are fortunate to operate in a community that supports us by donating food, linens (towels/blankets), animal toys, equipment including collars, leashes, bowls and more. These donations are dropped off in a bin outside the front door of the Main Shelter. We rely on volunteers to roll the bins around to the side of the shelter and organize the donated items into their correct storage spaces.
This role can be physically demanding, since some of the food arrives in up to 40-pound bags.
Training requirements:
- One 3-hour training session
Events
Information coming soon.
Guest Services
Location(s): Main Shelter or von Arx Adoption Center
Training requirements:
- A minimum of 9 hours (3-hour shifts) training/shadowing Guest Services Staff at our front desk. At the Main Shelter, one of these shifts must be completed in the morning (9am-Noon) & two shifts in the afternoon (1pm-4pm). The von Arx Adoption Center has its own requirements for training, which may include more training/shadowing shifts.
Time commitment:
- We ask all new volunteers in the Lobby/Reception Area to make a commitment of at least 36 hours over a 4-month period to PBHSN, in addition to their training hours. This helps you be well prepared for the role and acknowledges the investment our team has made in your training.
Housekeeping
Location(s): Main Shelter or Oaks Campus
This role consists of helping with laundry and dishes.
Training requirements:
- One 2.5 hour training session at the chosen location
Time commitment:
- We ask all new Housekeeping volunteers to make a commitment of at least 24 hours over a 4-month period to PBHSN, in addition to their training hours. This helps you be well prepared for the role and acknowledges the investment our team has made in your training.
Volunteer Driving
Location: Various
We often need drivers to transport animals to/from our 3 locations and specialty veterinarians, and to/from other rescue organizations.
Training requirements:
- None
Volunteer Onboarding
Now that you have learned about the different volunteer roles, we hope you have decided to move forward and begin the onboarding process, which consists of the following steps.
- Electronic Submission of a Liability Waiver
- In person orientation meeting and tour of our Main shelter
- Electronic Submission of a Volunteer Application
- Background Check (for adults – 18 years or older)
Contact
Collier County Students
- If you are a Collier County Middle/High School student in need of volunteer service hours and you would prefer to volunteer offsite, please review our Student Volunteer Opportunities. It is not required to have completed the Volunteer Orientation to earn volunteer service hours for these opportunities.
FGCU Students
- If you are an FGCU student in need of service-learning hours and prefer to volunteer offsite, please review our Student Service-Learning Opportunities. It is not required to have completed the Volunteer Orientation to earn service-learning hours for these opportunities.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Court-Ordered Community Service
“The heart of a volunteer is never measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.”
– DeAnn Hollis