THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
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Volunteer Program

The Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (C.S.P.C.A.) is Canada's first humane society, founded in Montreal in 1869 by a group of prominent citizens. The Canadian S.P.C.A.'s mission is to protect animals against negligence, abuse and exploitation.

Our only funding is from public donations. We receive no funding whatsoever from provincial nor federal governments. The shelter operates on 1/5 of the budget for shelters of a similar size. Despite this fact, we are an organization that not only fulfills our mandate, we exceed it by offering many programs and services to improve the environment in our society for animals in need. We have the highest rate of adoption in North America. The Canadian SPCA's Foster Program enables us to maintain our rate of euthanasia between 15% and 20%, one of the lowest in Canada. Because of our mandatory sterilization policy, the number of animals abandoned per year has dropped from 120,000 in 1979 to 18,000 in 2003.

With the help of its program, its employees and an exceptional squad of volunteers, the Canadian SPCA forges ahead with human mission to be the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves.

THE SPCA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM'S MISSION

Act FOR the Animal
Then Act WITH the Animal

A VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIAL


« The work I am doing for the SPCA is very satisfying... much more than just taking the dog out to relieve itself, or throw a ball around for 10 minutes... I love that part of the 'job' too, but not as much as knowing that what we do helps them to get a home »

Faye A., September 2004


Faye A. is among of our most faithful volunteers working with the Canadian SPCA for almost a year. She is part of Petfinder team that is responsible for putting our animals on the Website.

Petfinder is an amazing opportunity for our animals to find loving homes and connect them with individuals from across the country. Here are a few special examples:

A couple with no children from Ottawa saw Bailey, a 5 year-old Golden Retriever with a small heart problem, on Petfinder. The couple was looking for a third dog and wanted to help an animal less adoptable. One Sunday morning, on a beautiful sunny day, they traveled to Montreal and adopted her right away.

Two months previous, a woman from Halifax fell for a six year old German Sheppard, Shadow, that she also adopted.

The SPCA is full of little stories like Bailey's and Shadow's that without the presence of volunteers like Faye may not have had an happy ending.

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INTRODUCTION

Objective

At the Canadian SPCA, volunteers' contributions are very important for the operations of the shelter. Their support and devotion are crucial in helping the SPCA accomplish its mission. They provide the additional resources necessary for us to continue to expand our services, which exceeds the traditional services offered by an animal shelter.

Combined, the Montreal and Laval branches of the Canadian SPCA make us the largest shelter in North America. The Canadian SPCA also has one of the lowest rates of euthanasia in North America (varying between 15 and 20 %). Thanks to the presence of volunteers, we can continue to reduce our rate of euthanasia and save more lives.


SPCA Volunteer Program Description

All daily necessities such as general shelter maintenance, animal care, administration, clientele service, inspection, ambulance, which are essential to the shelter's operations, are carried out by hired staff. However, the Canadian SPCA goes beyond these standard services, and thanks to the volunteers' contribution, can expand its actions to help animals.

Our animals have needs beyond food and a clean cage, which are attended by our staff. They need us to help them find a good home, to find their owner if they are lost or to find a temporary home. It is because of these needs that the SPCA Volunteer Program was established.

PROFILE OF SPCA VOLUNTEER

The Canadian SPCA is seeking individuals who want to give their time to help the animals, and involve themselves with all their heart. These special people are very concerned to improve the environment for animals in our society and to help the Canadian SPCA save more lives.

The motivation of their involvement… HELP THE ANIMAL FIRST AND FOREMOST!

If you share this vision and want to do something to help our cause, here is what you can do:

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT THE CANADIAN SPCA

1. Adoption Counselor
2. Lost and Found Counselor
3. Foster Placement Counselor
4. Petfinder Volunteer
5. Infirmary
6. Special Event Volunteer
7. Volunteer Driver
8. Professional Expertise

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES


Help an animal find a good home.


1. Adoption Counselor
The number of animals adopted at the Canadian SPCA each year is the highest in North America. Although the SPCA is very proud of this achievement, we must ensure that every animal finds a good and responsible home. Adoption Counselors play a very important part in the evaluation of an adopter. They also provide guidance to adopters and sensitize them to the responsibilities of owning and caring for a pet. Adoption Counselors ensure to find a good match between the animal and the adopter's lifestyle and preferences.
  Not everyone can adopt as they wish.
Adoption counselors must evaluate the
adoptees and make certain they are
self-aware of the reasons they wish to
adopt an animal.
Requirements:
  • Bilingualism
  • Good oral skills
  • Patience
  • Courteousness
  • Self-confidence
Help an animal find its owner.
2. Lost and Found Counselor

Dozens of stray animals are brought to the Canadian SPCA every week. We keep them for three working days. If the animal

A Lost and Found Counselor completing the stray animal inventory before cross-checking them with the lost reports  
is not claimed it is either put up for adoption, or put to sleep depending on its condition. It is very important to verify that the animal has not been reported lost before the end of this period. The Lost and Found Counselor's work here is most crucial for these animals.

This type of work requires patience and the need to be detail-oriented. It encompasses both practical and counseling aspects. Most of the pet owners have little information on what they can do to increase their chances to find their pet. Lost and Found Counselors are a good source of information for people looking for their animal.

Requirements:
  • Bilingualism
  • Detailed-oriented
  • Empathy towards people that have lost their pet
  • Strong desire to help the animal above everything

     

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Help an animal find a temporary home.
3. Foster Placement Counselor

Many of the animals the Canadian SPCA receives every day must be placed in a temporary home.
Animal shelters are prone to contamination; and, the spread of diseases is always a concern. The immune system of pregnant cats and babies animals are not strong enough to fight diseases, even those that are benign; therefore, they cannot be put up for adoption.

What does a Foster Placement Counselor do? Working with the Foster Program Coordinator, the volunteers work on various tasks. Depending on their skills, volunteers can help recruit new foster families, meet them and explain the program. They make calls to existing families to place animals, assist families taking out or bringing back their fostered pets, or work on documentation for the foster.

A volunteer assisting a foster family on animal care for a cat that gave birth.  

Requirements:
  • Bilingualism preferred but not essential
  • Good sense of responsibility and organization
  • Capable of empathy for the foster families dealing with sick animals
  • Can work independently
  • Infinite love for animals

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Help an animal find a home.


4. Petfinder Volunteer

Petfinder (www.petfinder.com) is a Website that offers shelters across North America a free window to post their animals waiting for a home. The Canadian SPCA's pages are kept up to date entirely by volunteers. Their work consists of taking the animal's picture, reviewing its file and writing a short profile about the animal. This gives a helping hand to animals less "popular" but no less adorable as all the others. They usually work in pairs combining two writing strengths in French and English.
Requirements:
Adopt me !
  • Have good writing skills either in English or in French
  • Preferably own a digital camera *

    * Candidates who do not own a digital camera but would like to subscribe to this program, can be paired with a person which owns one.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES


5. The Infirmary

For those who prefer working in a place with a little action can help in the infirmary. Most of the work consists on helping the Animal Health Technician keep the area clean. Cleaning cages, food bowls and litter boxes make-up most of the tasks needed at the infirmary.

Please note that volunteering time at the infirmary is from Monday to Friday, between 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

Help the SPCA raise much needed funds for the shelter.


6. Special Events

The Canadian SPCA is involved in a variety of events through out the year which includes a Dog walk-a-thon, parades,

Adoption clinic at the Mondou store in Greenfield Park
expositions and a Dog.

Wash… to name a few. Volunteers who work in the events department play a key role in developing relationships with the communities that we serve.

Volunteer opportunities in the events department include planning, promotional writing, marketing, décor, logistics and on-site participation. Volunteers are not required to give a minimum of time and this department is ideal for those who deal with a changing schedule.
Requirements:
  • Bilingualism preferred but not essential
  • Organized
  • Energetic
  • Enthusiastic
  • Passion for animals
Put your skills to work for the service of animals.


7. Volunteer Driver


We always have a great need for volunteers to transport animals from the shelter to foster homes or vice versa. We have many foster families, who don't drive or have access to transportation. Please help us, become a volunteer driver. For all animals placed in foster, a life is saved.

Transport of a kitten to a foster home.  

8. Professional Expertise

If you have special skills or professional expertise, and would like to offer your service to the SPCA, you can help. Some examples are as follows: office work, translation, computer analyst, lawyer, painter, mechanic, graphic designer, etc. The SPCA is always in needs for people with special skills like you to carry out its mission, and its projects for animals without defense.

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VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

Any individual interested in volunteering at the Canadian SPCA are required to:

- Volunteer a minimum 3 hours per week.
- Work on a fixed schedule.
- Complete at least three months of reliable and consistent volunteer work in order to be eligible for a reference.
- Participate in at least one special event during the year.
- Have the minimum skills required to accomplish the tasks involved in the selected volunteer opportunity.

All volunteers must be a minimum of 18 years old
and follow the mandatory training provided by the SPCA.

TRAINING

Free training sessions are provided for all volunteer opportunities. The duration and time differ for each opportunity.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

All candidates must contact the Volunteer Department to apply. All candidates are interviewed one on one to identify their skills and interest. If a candidate is accepted, a training schedule will be provided subsequently.

Volunteer Department:

735-2711, ext. 2235
E-mail : alloloulou@yahoo.ca

VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION AT SPECIAL EVENTS


Pet Fairs

Habitat 04 Exhibit - Cat Radious City

Dog Wash

Dog Wash

2004 St. Patrick's Day Parade

2004 National Agility Competition
at John Abbott Campus

2004 Community festivities in Baie d'Urfé

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