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Get Involved at the Clermont County Animal Shelter

Foster a Shelter Animal in Your Home

 

Frequently Asked Foster Questions

Why does the shelter have a foster program?
To save more animals! Some animals don’t do well in the shelter environment, like puppies, kittens, elderly pets and those requiring special attention, diets or medical care. The shelter’s foster care program saves two animals, the one placed into a loving foster home and the shelter animal taking its place. The success of our mission depends on a vibrant and healthy foster care program. Please consider enrolling as a foster family for a shelter animal.
What is the length of time I have to commit to when I foster?
We have several foster options that allow you to foster for the length of time that works best for you. Fostering can be as short as a few hours and as long as a few months. Any amount of foster time you can offer benefits the shelter and our animals.
Can I still foster if I have pets at home?
Yes! Our Dog and Cat Program Managers will work closely with you to find the right foster animal for your home and lifestyle. If you have pets at home, we may ask you to bring them in for a meet and greet and we will always provide detailed instructions and tips for introducing pets safely. In some situations, we may recommend your pet and foster animal do not meet at all and in that case, we will provide support and instructions for that as well.
What if I bring a foster animal home and it doesn’t work out?
That’s OK! You can bring your foster animal back to the shelter at any time. If possible, let us know ahead of time so we can be prepared.
Can I foster for other organizations while also fostering for Clermont Animal CARE?
We have found that fostering with multiple organizations can be confusing for the foster as different shelters and rescues have different polices and procedures. In addition, animals from different organizations can come with different health requirements and vaccine history which can be dangerous for the less vaccinated animals.

If you chose to foster with Clermont Animal CARE, we simply ask that you have no other animals from other organizations in your care at the time.

Volunteer at the Clermont County Animal Shelter

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization. We couldn’t do what we do without YOU!There are many ways to volunteer and make a difference for animals in Clermont County. The first step will be to attend a Volunteer Orientation, held monthly, to learn more about our shelter, what we do, why we do it, and how you can help. To register for an upcoming session, please complete the Volunteer Registration form.

Current volunteer opportunities:

On-site with Cats (requires additional training)

  • Join a morning Cat Care Team.
  • Become an Adoption Counselor.
  • Spend time with cats who need time outside of their cage.
  • Assist with enrichment activities.

On-Site with Dogs (requires additional training)

  • Walk dogs.
  • Provide in-kennel enrichment.
  • Work on behavior with assigned dogs.
  • Run Playgroups.

On-Site Support Team (hands off the animals)

  • Assist with laundry (we have a lot of it!).
  • Prepare enrichment activities (stuff KONGS, make toys, etc.).
  • Answer phones.
  • Data entry.
  • Facility cleaning.
  • Landscaping/li>
  • Social media.

Off-Site

  • Cat care, transport, and adoptions at our off-site pet store partners Petco Milford and Pet Valu Beechmont.
  • Adoption and fundraising events.
  • Transport to and from spay/neuter surgeries, adoption events, shelter pulls from emergency situations or natural disasters.

Volunteer App

(application opens in a new tab)

Thanks so much for helping us save more lives!

Frequently Asked Foster Questions

What can I do as a volunteer?

Cats

  • Morning cat care to get the cat rooms cleaned and the cats ready to welcome adopters.
  • Evening “tuck-in” of cats to make sure they have all they need for the night.
  • At your home: foster!
  • Coming soon
    • Spending time with cats to help socialize them and provide them with enrichment.
    • Afternoon/evening help getting cats adopted as an Adoption Host!

Dogs

  • Morning dog care to assist employees with cleaning and feeding of our dogs.
  • Afternoon/evening dog walking to get dogs out and provide needed enrichment to keep them healthy and happy.
  • Saturday morning dog bathing to keep our dogs healthy and looking and feeling good.
  • Grooming by volunteers with professional grooming experience to help clean up animals who come to use with overgrown and matted coats.
  • Weekend morning/afternoon off-site adoptions to get our dogs out at local businesses and community events so they can be seen and adopted!
  • At your home: foster!
  • Coming soon
    • Advance as a dog volunteer, learning from our Dog Program Manager, to teach dogs basic manners and commands that will make them more adoptable.
    • Advance even farther to assist our Dog Program Manager with dogs who need help with behavior issues
      Help with play groups so that our dogs get exercise and socialization time with other dogs.

Administrative and Others

  • Photographing adoptable animals.
  • Writing biographies of animals for adopters to get to know them.
  • Data entry
  • Return phone calls.
  • Laundry
  • Dishes
  • Make Kongs and other enrichment items.
  • Transport of animals and donations.
  • Fundraising events
How old do you have to be to volunteer at the shelter?

All volunteers must be 13+ years of age and be able to work independently.

  • 13-15 year olds – cannot work directly with animals, but may create Kong enrichments, do laundry, wash dishes and assist with general cleaning.
  • 16+ year olds may work with dogs or cats, as well as in administrative roles.

All volunteers must be able to work independently, regardless of age.

Can I complete my school or court-ordered community service at Clermont Animal CARE?

Yes! Our Community Service volunteer program is ideal for those who need to earn hours on a short-term basis, without a long-term commitment. You may complete an application here (opens in a new tab). Please note the following:

  • Community Service Volunteers do not work directly with our animals.
  • We reserve the right to refuse court-ordered service, dependent on the charges.
What is the time commitment for volunteers?
Our general expectation is that our volunteers commit to a regular volunteer schedule (monthly, biweekly, or weekly). The minimum monthly time commitment is generally 2-4 hours. Volunteers who are inactive for 3 months are removed from our program roster.
Will I receive training to volunteer?
Yes! It is very important to us that you have the knowledge and tools to work with our animals and on behalf of our organization. All volunteers are required to complete New Volunteer Orientation (online) and those working with dogs or cats are required to complete role-specific training with our program managers.
Can I bring my team from school or work in to volunteer?
Yes! We welcome teams of 3-10 members to volunteer at the shelter! Please email our Volunteer Services so we can arrange details.

We generally like to match volunteer groups with walking dogs. But, we have other seasonal opportunities, like landscaping and making enrichment items as well.

Become a Shelter Partner

Are you a business or animal welfare organization that can help us reach our goals and support our mission?Clermont Animal CARE is strengthened by our alliance of life-saving partners from the animal welfare and business communities, providing shelter support and diversion assistance to help manage shelter population and improve the lives of animals while in our care.

Lending support in key areas, our partners help to limit the influx and to control the number of animals in the shelter. They also help enrich the lives of animals during their shelter stay and provide services to help improve an animal’s chances of adoption, Our partners extend a hand by offering such services as:

  • spay/neuter
  • fostering
  • food assistance
  • veterinary assistance
  • grooming
  • community exposure
  • trap-neuter-return
  • rescue intervention
  • behavioral training
  • adoption support
  • funding

View Our Current Partners

Our Shelter Partners are among the most prominent and effective local organizations in their fields.

Let’s Get Started

If you would like to partner with us, fill out the form below and one of our staff members will get back to you.

 
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