Volunteer
 HART is growing, and with the new building, we need many more volunteers.
Extra hands are always welcome at the shelter to help keep
it clean and comfy for the cats.
If you're interested in volunteering your time to HART, please review our volunteer Code of Conduct then complete a volunteer application and return it to HART. Call us at
829-4116 or send us an e-mail to further discuss our volunteer opportunities.
To obtain a volunteer application, select one of these available formats:
Volunteer Application - pdf (for viewing and printing)
Volunteer Application - Microsoft Word (for updating and emailing)
Return completed application to info@hartofme.com or mail to:
HART
P.O. Box 351
Cumberland, ME 04021
Volunteer Positions Open
HART is currently accepting volunteer applications for the following key position. If you are interested, please complete an application (see link above) and return it to HART as soon as possible!
Intake Coordinator |
Objective: To begin the Intake Process, with the approval by the Shelter Manager, to accept a surrendered cat and take it through the process from surrender to placement in a designated room.
Time Commitment: Based upon the number of surrenders approved in any given week. All of the functions can be scheduled per availability of the Intake Coordinator.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Communicate with the Shelter Manager who provides contact information and surrender facts
- Setup appointment (day/time) to accept surrender at the shelter
- Meet surrender at the shelter, ensure surrender paperwork/file is completed, set up crate in Intake Room for new arrival
- Schedule Testing Volunteer to complete required testing
- Schedule Photo Volunteer for photo op
- Ensure intake procedures are done: weighing, deworming, defleaing, testing, distemper vaccination, photo
- Pass along copy of intake paperwork to Tech Department, Website/Pet Finder Managers, and Accounting
- Schedule vet appointment for outstanding procedures (e.g. rabies, spay/neuter, etc.)
- Arrange for transport to vet by one of the designated transporters and prepare paperwork outlining services needed
- Confirm room assignment with Shelter Manager
- Prepare crate in assigned room for availability upon cat’s return from vet
- Complete profile page with photo and place in room binder
- Ensure data base is updated with vet services
Qualifications:
- Good organizational skills
- Positive and friendly interaction with the general public
- Comfortable working with a team of volunteers to coordinate their participation in the process
- Basic computer skills (training will be provided)
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Day Manager |
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Objective: To supervise and oversee daily operations of the shelter.
Time Commitment: One or two mornings a week.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Open shelter in the morning
- Check phone messages
- Supervise volunteers working that day and assist/answer their questions
- Help with cleaning the rooms and feeding the cats
- Answer phone calls, take messages and forward them to the appropriate individual
- Greet visitors and assist them in any way
- If surrenders arrive (with prior mgr. approval), help with paperwork and get cat settled into new cage in intake
- At the end of the day, check each room to make sure windows are closed and locked, and that there is food and water available for cats in the rooms and cats in crates
- At the end of the day, make sure all cats, not supposed to be loose in the back hall, have been put back in their appropriate rooms
- Set the alarm and lock the doors
Qualifications:
- Good organizational skills
- Strong leadership
- Ability to communicate well with volunteers
- Ability to multi-task
- Strong observation skills
- Patience and tactfulness
- Creative – ability to find new, improved ways to provide better care and work more efficiently
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We are also looking for people to fill the following special positions.
If you have the skills to perform the following roles and
want to volunteer, please call or e-mail the contact person
listed.
Publicity/community
outreach - Broaden awareness of HART's work in Greater
Portland through communication with schools, animal welfare
groups, community agencies, and the media. Strong writing
and communication skills needed. Contact Joann Wallace, 772-6211, jwsummit@msn.com.
Transporters for spay/neuter appointments: We need volunteers to take our kitties to the vet for their spay/neuter appointments. We go to Gray/New Gloucester Animal Hospital in New Gloucester (20 minutes from shelter) and to Dr. Beury in N. Bridgton (1 hour from shelter). If interested, please contact Joann Wallace.
Shelter cleaners: We are always in need of help to keep our shelter clean and to put ample food and water down for the kitties. The cleaning teams work mornings, 7 days a week. If interested, please contact Sharon Lewis or Laura Edgar (829-4116).
Foster families for kittens: We are looking for families to help socialize our kittens. Kitten season has grown from spring through fall to all year long. This is a fun and rewarding experience for the entire family. If interested, please contact Suellen Clark.
Fundraising events: We are continually staging events to raise funds to maintain our "friendships" with all our wonderful vets. If you're interested in learning more about these events and/or want to get involved, please contact Sharon Lewis.
Some of the various tasks that volunteers here at HART handle include:
- Clean cat rooms, lobby areas, kitchen, supply room
- Scoop litter boxes
- Transport cats to and from vet appointments
- Fundraising activities – new ideas welcomed!
- Publicity/press releases & marketing to local papers, etc.
 Tabling with kittens – display kittens and introduce HART to the public
- Baking for sales
- Working Open House (cleaning and/or tours)
- Conducting tours and assisting with adoptions
- Grant writing
- Playing back phone messages and giving to appropriate people
- Typing and sending out thank you letters
- Maintaining mailing list for fundraisers
- Administering medications to cats
- Data entry to keep cat records up-to-date in shelter manager software
- Fostering kittens and moms
- Working with foster homes to keep them supplied with food and litter
- Collecting cans and bottles, toner cartridges
- Pickup and deliver food and various supplies to shelter
- Office functions: filing, ordering office and cleaning supplies
- Testing cats and giving vaccinations
- Grooming cats (brushing and clipping nails, cleaning brushes/utensils)
- Laundry (washing, drying, folding)
- Dishes (washing and drying)
- Newsletter committee
- Maintaining health records on cats (weighing, etc.)
- Cat inventory books (take pictures of new cats, write-ups, keep books current)
- Carpentry work (minor) and miscellaneous upkeep at shelter
- Helping with installation, cleaning, and removal of air conditioners/purifiers
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