Bénévole

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!

Volunteers are absolutely essential to our lifesaving efforts.  Without our volunteers’ time, dedication, and compassion, we could not provide the level of care, enrichment, and support that helps make each of our furry guests stay with us as comfortable, and as short, as possible!

VCAS volunteers contribute in many meaningful ways, from working directly with animals to keeping our shelters clean and organized, to representing our agency within the community at outreach events.  Regardless of your interests, skills, or availability, there is an opportunity for you to make a difference for the animals in our care and in our community.

Please read carefully to determine which type of volunteer you want to be!

• “I feel a strong commitment to helping animals as part of a team, and you can commit to volunteering at least once a week for 3 months or more.” If this is you, please submit an application now! Once you submit your application, check your inbox for an email from us with a link to our Volunteer Orientation Video. Watch the video to learn more about us, and to learn how to sign up for First Day Training at our Camarillo or Simi Valley Shelters. By the way, if you want to volunteer more than once a week, that’s great! We have so much to do, and we’ll welcome your help!

Please note, we will not be bringing on new ongoing volunteers during July & August 2026 so that we may focus on our busy summer and on training and supporting our current volunteers.

• “I need a set number of community service hours for school or court.” If this is you, please submit an application. Once you submit your application, send an email to volunteer@venturacounty.gov. We’ll need to know how many hours you need, and your deadline. Community service volunteers do not go through our regular onboarding. Instead, you’ll do laundry at our Camarillo Shelter. If you want to become an ongoing volunteer when your hours are complete, we’ll be happy to teach you to do more helpful tasks.
• “I want to bring a group of 6 or more people to visit the shelter and help out.” If this is you, please email volunteer@venturacounty.gov. We’ll need to know when you’d like to come, and how many adults and children are in your group. We’ll contact you to arrange a day and time for your visit. Please note we can only host one group per week, for 90 minutes on Sunday mornings or Wednesday afternoons (the exact time is flexible.) After your group visit, if you’re interested, you’re welcome to turn in a volunteer application and join us on a more regular basis!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are your volunteer hours?

We welcome volunteers at our Camarillo Shelter between 7:30 am and 6:30 pm. We welcome volunteers at our Simi Valley Shelter between 9 am and 5 pm (standard time), or 10 am and 6 pm (daylight saving’s time) We welcome volunteers 365 days a year!

Do I have to commit to the same time every week?

No. We are very flexible about when you come during our volunteer hours. Exceptions are: scheduled trainings or activities that happen at a scheduled time. For instance, once you are a dog walker, you can walk dogs any time we’re open to volunteers, but if you want to help with Playgroups, that happens at a scheduled time each day.  Another exception is our Bunny Brigade. The Bunny Brigade is entirely volunteer-run, so if you want to work with rabbits, you’ll need to commit to the same day of the week, though the time of day is flexible. And finally, if you want to commit to the same day(s) and time(s) every week, and it works for your schedule, that’s great!

Is there a minimum age for volunteering?

• The minimum volunteer age is 13.  Those under 13 are encouraged to participate in our Lecteurs de sauvetage program until they are old enough to volunteer.
• Volunteers 13–15 must apply with an adult volunteer partner.  Both ‘partner volunteers’ should submit separate applications. Partner volunteers will train and volunteer together at all times.
• Volunteers 16-17 must have a parent or guardian attend First Day Training, and their first Dog Walking class, if they choose to work with dogs. With parent/guardian approval, ‘VolunTeens’ can volunteer on their own. There are restrictions on the dogs a VolunTeen can work with.

Is there a maximum age for volunteering?

No, but some tasks may not be available to every volunteer. Tap/click here to view the list of these required capabilities.We have such a wide variety of things to do for our animals and our shelter and our community, there is a job for everyone!

Can I just come and walk a dog/play with cats/cuddle a rabbit today?

No, and the reason is that all of our animal handling volunteer jobs require training, for everyone’s safety. Please refer to the volunteer application and if you have time to commit, our furry guests would love to meet you.

Can I help in your vet office?

We do have a small number of volunteers who help in our vet office, who are trained to handle animals and who can commit to a regular weekly shift. Vet office volunteers are recruited from our existing volunteers, and generally, we bring in just a few new people to assist in our vet office each year.

Can I host an animal in my home to give them a break from the shelter?

Yes! Please fill out our Foster Application. The minimum age to foster is 18.

Need to Access the Volunteer Portal?

This is for current volunteers, or applicants who are ready to sign up for First Day Training. You must have an application on file in order to access the Volunteer Portal!