**We are very fortunate to have an amazing partnership with Unleashed the Dog and Cat store, a locally owned and operated chain of pet supply stores. Please note that all in-person volunteer opportunities are currently located at the Unleashed Stonehenge location in North Raleigh.
Cat Adoption Room
The Cat Adoption Room at Unleashed is a place where some of our adoptable cats live 24/7. The Unleashed staff is able to handle basic feeding and litter box scooping as needed but their first responsibility is their job there and the cats can really use some extra attention! Cat Adoption Room Volunteers are responsible for feeding the cats, periodically cleaning and sweeping the room, scooping the litter boxes, and providing enrichment for the cats. Because this is a room where the cats live free roaming, there are opportunities to play with them and interact in a way that is not available with the cats staying in the Cat Shack.
Cat Shack Volunteer
As a Cat Shack Volunteer, you will be responsible for taking care of the cats that stay in the Cat Shack. These cats are not always from Velvet Acres, we work with other area rescues to give their adoptable cats a chance to be seen. Mia’s Mafia is the most regular Rescue Partner we work with and their cats are often seen in the Cat Shack! During each shift, cats need to be fed, provided fresh water, living areas straightened and lightly cleaned, and litter boxes scooped. Any extra time you have available can be spent petting and loving the cats while they are in their enclosures.
There are two shift blocks per day, an AM shift 9:30a-12p, and a PM shift 6p-8p.
This is a unique opportunity in that you not only are helping Velvet Acres adoptable cats, but cats from other groups around the Triangle too!
Transporter
A transporter for VAAR is one of the most changing volunteer positions available. Transporter volunteers assist with driving our animals around. This could be a fresh shelter animal needing a ride to their foster home, or it could be a foster pet who needs to be dropped off or picked up at the vet or an event. These are not the only possibilities but are certainly the majority. If you love to drive and want to help us out, this is the volunteer position for you! Please note that this is a position where need may be determined with short notice. As a transporter volunteer, you will receive emails and/or text messages about pets who need a ride as soon as possible. You are under no obligation to assist but this is a position that receives more communications from us than others, please keep that in mind when applying to be a transporter.
Administrative Assistant
Do you enjoy completing administrative tasks? There is always data entry, filing, typing, and returning calls that need to be done. We have many things to do to keep the rescue running and the animals cared for and these types of tasks are definitely not our forte! If this type of work is something you enjoy and want to help us with, please fill out the volunteer application so you can get started! This position generally has no direct interaction with the animals. *The specific duties of this position will change depending on the time of year and what is going on with VAAR at the time.
Foster Parent
Fostering is a volunteer position where you bring one (or more) of our animals into your home, for a time, for any number of reasons. For more information on becoming a Foster Parent with us, please see our Foster Page.