Volunteering

Here at Heartland Humane Society, our volunteers are vital to our success. Our volunteers make it possible for us to help all the animals located at the shelter and in foster care each day. We are excited to have you join us! Here is how you get started:

If you are interested in volunteering, please call us or fill out the form here. You will receive contact back regarding current available positions. Note: shelter volunteers must be age 16 and older to be an active member. All members under 16 years of age will be required to have a parent or guardian present.

Shelter volunteers must volunteer at least twice a month onsite. We prefer you be able to volunteer at least once a week. We understand folks get ill, events happen and people get to do awesome vacations. We accommodate all these things but ask that attendance be as regular as possible. 

You must be able to commit for at least six months. It's a lot of work to train a new volunteer and to maintain our volunteer schedule. We need 85+ active volunteers to operate the shelter.

We can accommodate group volunteer activities, up to 6 individuals at a time. We do also accompany tours for groups and we encourage groups to host a drive for the shelter.  To learn more, simply call the shelter at 605-664-4244. 

What can you do as a volunteer for HHS?

Some current volunteer opportunities:

Kennel Attendant - This is our feeding team. Shifts start at 8am or at 4pm each day. Attendants feed cats or dogs, reset their kennel for cleanliness and then can take time to socialize the animal. We aim to have two volunteers at each shift for both cats and dogs.

Socializer- This is our play team. We aim to have volunteers interacting with the pets, removing them from the kennel and spending quality time. These opportunities run from 10am to 8pm seven days a week.

Enrichment Volunteer - This is our Enrichment Team. Our dog and cat enrichment program is meant to enrich the minds and bodies of shelter animals while in our care. Our different enrichment activities are based on sensory and mental stimulation, which allows our animals to adapt and handle the stress of being in a shelter situation.

Grooming -  Want to help our pooches look best? We are always looking for help with bathing, nails, and styling our dogs in great collars or harnesses to match their personality.

Shelter Assistant- This is our clean team. Want to help with laundry or dishes or organization? We need help putting donations away and keeping things tidy.

 To volunteer at the shelter, please fill out the Volunteer Application here, and/or give us a call at 605-664-4244.

All persons volunteering at the shelter or participating in any event or activity organized or sponsored, in whole or in part, by Heartland Humane Society are required to read, agree to, and sign this Release of Liability & Hold Harmless Agreement “Agreement” before participating in any such event or activity. Please sign HERE.