Normally MaxFund volunteers are welcome at the shelter 365 days a year 8am-5pm. After 5, the staff is going home and the building is being locked up so volunteers need to be out by 5. During the summer, especially when it's hot out and the sun is out longer, the evening is a great time to spend time at the shelter! Although we can't leave the shelter open into the evening every day, we encourage volunteers to come down on Tuesdays, when the shelter is closed to the public, and volunteer until 7pm!
What evenings are evenings out?
For right now, evening outs are limited to Tuesday evenings.
Who is welcome to come on "evening out" days?
Evening out days are for experienced volunteers only. This is because staff, for the most part, will not be around to provide guidance or answer questions. There is no set rule on what makes a volunteer "experienced", but as a rule of thumb, if you can find your way around the shelter and can volunteer without having to ask questions on how to do things, then you are likely an experienced enough volunteer.
Does 7:00 REALLY mean 7:00?
7:00 ABSOLUTELY means 7:00. You want to make sure you don't take any dogs out at a time which would get you back to the shelter later than 7:00. At 7:00, the doors will likely be locked, and the alarm set since all the staff will have gone home, so you need to make sure you have the left the building by 7:00!
What types of rules are there for volunteers during the evenings out?
During the evening out, volunteers are welcome to do anything they would do during normal volunteering hours. Walking dogs, playing with the cats, cleaning, organizing, laundry, dishes, etc. are all fair game!
There are a few exceptions/rules:
The clinic cats may be seen provided a volunteer with the key is at the clinic. The clinic staff will typically not be there to answer the door!
The rehab range is typically closed and locked around 6pm. If the gate is locked, please respect that the rehab range is closed.
There are no adoptions, adoption meet and greets, or potential adopters (member of the public) allowed at the shelter outside of business hours, NO EXCEPTIONS!
All volunteers should enter the shelter through the back door. Ringing the doorbell at the front door may or may not get you admittance, depending on who is in the shetler at the time.
