VOLUNTEER
Foster A Pet
- You provide a temporary but caring home for a dog or cat, puppy or kitten.
- You choose the type of animal you’d like to foster in your home. We can help you select a pet that’s right for you and your family.
- VOCAL provides all veterinary care, food and supplies needed to make your foster experience enjoyable and worthwhile.
- VOCAL puts your foster pet’s photo and information on our website to help with its adoption.
VOCAL works with animals exclusively from Marion County for our pet fostering program. Whether the animals are owner surrenders or transfers from Marion County Animal Services, all of our animals come from our local community. Please consider making a positive difference in the life of a foster pet today. Check out our dogs or cats available for foster care or apply to be a foster parent today!
VOCAL Youth Council
The VOCAL Youth Council was formed in 2018 with only one member, Madeline Eller, a high school student with a love for the dogs and cats in Marion County. It quickly grew giving these teens a platform to speak and educate the young and old on responsible pet ownership, animal empathy, and the importance of spaying and neutering your pet.
BY JOINING THE VOCAL YOUTH COUNCIL YOU CAN:
- Have the opportunity to demonstrate your strong commitment to community service and volunteering.
- Make a difference for the homeless pets in our community.
- Meet others with similar interests and make more friends.
- Get volunteer hours.
- Have fun!
JOIN US TODAY AND APPLY TO BE PART OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL!
YOU CAN ALSO SEND US AN EMAIL AT YOUTHCOUNCIL@VOCALFORPETS.ORG WITH ANY QUESTIONS
YOUTH COUNCIL PAGE
YOUTH COUNCIL PAGE
Youth Council Service Fee
Want to Volunteer to Help Animals?
If you are passionate about helping animals and pets in need in Ocala and Marion County, we invite you to volunteer with us at VOCAL.
We have a variety of volunteer positions available, which you can select when you fill out our VOCAL volunteer application. From animal transporting and adoption events, to administrative, computer skills and fundraising, VOCAL needs your help to make an impact in our community.
CONSIDER ANY OF THE FOLLOWING VOCAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
The mental health of our animals is as important as their physical health. The dogs have wonderful runs and get plenty of exercise so, he primary purpose of a dog walker is to provide human companionship and mental stimulation, as well as socialization.
This is a program that is essential for our shelter dogs, especially our longer term residents. You will be matched with one animal that you want to spend time with. You can go for long walks, sit in the kennel and read a book to provide companionship, take the animal on errands and car rides, or even on overnight sleep overs.
This program is closely related to the shelter buddy concept. Taking a shelter dog to work gets the dog out of the kennels and out into the public eye where they can interact and have a fun day. This also helps them get adopted.
We utilize volunteers to mow, weed, and spray the yards. Also, kennel upkeep is important to keep the kennels and runs safe for the animals.
These volunteers are trained to ask relevant questions of potential adopters in a friendly manner. We work hard to match out animals with the right home and it is not necessarily first come, first serve. In fact, we often take multiple adoption applications for the same animal.
These volunteers visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and a children’s home with VOCAL animals.
These volunteers help with various office tasks including, but not limited to, answering the phone, assisting with the newsletter, and keeping up with social media posts.
VOCAL is “internet based” so the first time a potential adopter sees an animal is going to be through a picture. An animal’s picture can make it or break it when it comes to catching an adopter’s attention so, having just the right picture is so important!
We need people to take animals to and from adoption events and veterinary appointments.
We need people willing to work fundraising events, including raising sponsorships, coordinating silent auction items, checking in people at events, selling tickets, and collecting money.
Help is needed with trapping cats and feeding feral colonies.
We get food deliveries every two weeks from Chewy. They supply us with enough food to feed our animals, to help those in need, and to distribute to other organizations. We need people who will sort and stack food, and other items, at our warehouse. Volunteers should be able to lift a 50 lb. bag.
Because all of our staff and board members are volunteers, each of us knows the importance of the various volunteer duties available at VOCAL. We look forward to working with you to make a difference in the lives of homeless pets in Ocala and Marion County. Volunteer to help animals in our community today!