Is there a minimum age to volunteer?
You must be 16 or older to volunteer. Individuals ages 16 and 17 will be required to obtain and turn in a completed MA Youth Work Permit prior to volunteering.
What’s the time commitment?
Commitment will vary by role. We have commitment details listed within the full description of each volunteer role. Most require an on-property commitment once a week on a set day and time, ranging from 1-2 hours.
Can I bring my child with me when I volunteer?
We are not able to have volunteers bring children to their volunteer shift.
Can I drop in to volunteer?
We cannot accommodate requests for drop-in volunteering. All volunteers must go through our full onboarding process, which can take a month or more.
I need community service hours for court or school.
Thank you for considering us as your service location!
In limited circumstances, we may be able to fulfill requests for community service hours assigned by court. Verification to courts will not be provided unless your request to volunteer with us was approved in advance. To apply for approval, email AngellVolunteer@mspca.org with the number of hours needed, the date the service is due, the offense you were assigned community service for, your full name, and the contact number of someone at the court who assigned your service. Please name the subject of your email “Court Community Service.” If approved, the Volunteer Coordinator will find you an appropriate role. Depending on how many hours you have been assigned it may take anywhere from three months to one year to complete your ordered hours.
We are happy to take students who are seeking volunteer hours as part of their community service for National Honor Society, or as part of their graduation requirements. However, please keep in mind that to meet the needs of the hospital, our volunteer program is aimed at those who can make an extended commitment. If you are only seeking a small amount of volunteer hours, our program will not be a good match. You must be able to complete our required minimum commitment for the role you are applying for.
Whatever the reason you are seeking community service hours, we cannot accommodate requests to complete hours in a short turnaround time. All accepted volunteers must go through our full onboarding process, which can take a month or more after you are accepted.
Will I be able to work with the animals?
Hospital volunteers are not permitted to interact with our animal patients in any capacity including, but not limited to, providing food or water, assisting with medical care, petting/touching, or playing with the animals.
In order to ensure that our patients are receiving the best possible care, all animal handling and treatments are managed by our staff.
The reality is, that we have plenty of non-animal tasks that need done. Laundry, cage cleaning, sorting donations, and cleaning up our outdoor spaces are all part of the volunteer experience.
Will I be able to observe or shadow staff?
Observing and shadowing staff are not a primary focus of our program. Limited opportunities may be available a few times a year, but are not part of general volunteering.
I work/go to school, and can only volunteer on weekends and holidays. Is that possible?
Yes! Staff and volunteers are here 7 days a week. While not all areas have weekend openings, there is usually at least one that does. Please review the detailed volunteer role descriptions for current openings.
Do you have remote volunteer opportunities?
We do not offer any remote volunteer roles at this time.
I would like to work at the MSPCA. Are you hiring?
Open MSPCA staff positions for all locations can be found on our website, under careers.
Applications must be submitted via the careers website, and will be reviewed by Human Resources. Staffing needs are not handled by Volunteer Coordinators.
Return to the Boston Animal Medical Center Volunteer landing page by clicking here.
