Adult Volunteers

Volunteer Opportunities for Adult Individuals (Ages 18+)

First step to becoming a volunteer for JHS:

If you’re considering becoming a volunteer, please first watch our virtual Volunteer Information Session.

This program is for individuals who are over the age of 18, have graduated high school, and meet our essential capabilities for all volunteers.

If you are looking for short-term OR single day volunteer service, consider signing up for a First Saturday Group Walk! Use the tabs below to learn more and register. If you’d just like to spend a day with a JHS dog, you might be interested in our Dog Day Out program.

If you are a past or present member of the military, please sign up to volunteer through our Troops & Tails volunteer program.

Apply to become a volunteer now!

What are the volunteer program requirements?

Please note, to volunteer with the Jacksonville Humane Society you must:

Be at least 18 years of age. Teens between the ages of 16-18 who are still enrolled in a high school program can apply to join our Youth Volunteer Program.
Be able to volunteer independently.
Commit to volunteering once a week for the first 3 months of volunteering.
Be willing to pay a $30 volunteer fee at the time of your orientation. This includes a volunteer T-shirt and name badge and helps defray JHS volunteer program expenses. If you cannot pay this due to financial constraints please contact the volunteer team at [email protected].

Volunteer service through the volunteer program CANNOT be court-ordered.

What are the essential capabilities for a volunteer?

Volunteering at the Jacksonville Humane Society does require certain skills and abilities. These essential capabilities are, but not limited to:

Commit to volunteer once a week for three (3) months or more.
Able to work independently and willing to work as part of a team.
Comfortable speaking to members of the public.
Maintain professional appearance & positive energy when volunteering.
Willing to learn and utilize Volgistics, online volunteer scheduling system.
Must have average vision (You must be able to see the body language of an animal for safety).
Able to take instructions and follow safety protocols.
Able to work with cleaning chemicals.
Meeting the basic physical requirements for volunteers.
Commitment to JHS’ mission & the volunteer program mission.

For any volunteers wanting to work with animals, there are these additional essential capabilities:

Standing unassisted for long periods of time.
Walk distances unassisted
Bend, kneel, crouch unassisted
Use of both hands simultaneously
Lift, carry and move at least 25 lbs independently.
Volunteer roles may have additional requirements. These can be found in the role descriptions.

First Saturday Group Dog Walks

First Saturday Group Walks

Not sure if you can commit to our long-term volunteer program? Just want to help out for a day? Come spend your Saturday morning walking dogs with us! Sign up for a First Saturday Group Walk and help us get our pups out for their first walks of the day and meet some new people with similar interests.

First Saturday Group Walks take place from 7:45-10am the first Saturday of each month.
You must register ahead of time – spaces are limited. The cut off to register will be Friday at 3pm before the event.
You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
Our dogs are large and you will get a lot of steps in on our walking route!
Once you’ve registered, our Volunteer Department will reach out with specific details for the day of the event.
Closed-toe shoes are required! Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

Sign up now!

Dog Day Out

Through our Dog Day Out program, you can take an adoptable dog out of the shelter for an adventure! You do not need to be a registered volunteer to participate in this program.

I need to do court-ordered community service.

Current information as of March 7, 2025:

The Court-Ordered Community Service program at JHS is separate from the volunteer program. If you need hours for court, do NOT fill out the online application. Instead, follow these guidelines:

You must be 18 years of age or older, no exceptions.
You must have appropriate paperwork from the court.
No violent offenses are accepted in the program (e.g. battery, sexual assault, child abuse, animal abuse, etc.)
There will be a $20 program fee (cash or card) that you will have to pay on your first day before you can get started – no exceptions.
Monday through Friday: Meet at the small fountain outside our Adoption and Education Center at 7:00 a.m. We are located at 8464 Beach Blvd. You do not need to pre-register – you can just show up. Please be aware that if you show up after 7:10 a.m., you will not be able to participate. You can stay until 11:30 a.m., based on need.
Court-ordered community service is NOT offered on Saturdays or Sundays.
Court-ordered community service is NOT offered on any day that falls on a holiday. Please see the JHS holiday calendar for a list of JHS holidays.
Bring a government-issued ID with you to your orientation.
Wear closed-toe shoes, jeans or knee-length shorts, T-shirt (no tank tops) or warmer shirt depending on the weather (choose clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and/or stained).
Please note, if you sign up through our volunteer program and gain hours, you cannot use those hours for court requirements.