Oceanside Campus

San Diego Humane Society’s Oceanside Campus cares for the homeless and stray animals of Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas.

Volunteers help our staff, animals and community to ensure a remarkable experience at the shelter. We are grateful for the enthusiasm, dedication and love they share with us every day.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

New volunteers are typically recruited every month, on an as needed basis. Interested community members first attend a volunteer info session to learn more about our organization, the volunteer program and ways to get involved. Please review the information below if interested in joining the team! During recruitment periods, application links are available at the bottom of this page!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS AT OUR OCEANSIDE CAMPUS:

Companion Animal Team

New volunteers can begin in our foundation level role of our Companion Animal team where they learn the foundation of animal sheltering and assist with feeding, cleaning, making enrichment items and assisting guests. After a minimum of 15 hours of service, volunteers may apply to step up into our core level roles such as dog walking, cat socializing, assisting in our kitten nursery etc. These core roles require additional training, responsibility and a weekly shift commitment.

Foundation Level Duties Include:

Animal Care – Assist with feeding, cleaning and in-kennel enrichment at the shelter. Shifts available daily between 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Minimum commitment is one shift every other week. Shifts typically run 2 hours in length.
Guest Services – Greet guests and tour them around our shelter, answer frequently asked questions and help with clerical tasks. Shifts available daily between 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Minimum commitment is one shift every other week. Shifts typically run 2 hours in length.
Neighborhood Adoption Centers – Assist with feeding, cleaning and in-kennel enrichment for cats, kittens and rabbits at our Neighborhood Adoption Centers (inside local Petcos, PetSmarts, etc). Shifts available daily between 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Minimum commitment is one shift every other week. Shifts typically run 1 to 2 hours in length.

REQUIREMENTS TO VOLUNTEER AT THE OCEANSIDE CAMPUS:

At our Oceanside Campus, volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.
All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Info Session, small group Service Planning Session and an individual mentored shift prior to volunteering solo. This training series typically takes 1-3 weeks after the Info Session and is designed to set our volunteers up for success!
All volunteers must have access to email since most volunteer communication is done via email.
At this time, we are unable to verify hours to meet community service requirements mandated by the court.

HOW TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER:

Complete our online application and sign up for a Volunteer Info Session! Info Sessions are typically hosted every month, on an as needed basis, starting in January. At this session you will learn more about our organization, the volunteer program and our current opportunities. Sessions are posted to this web page at the start of each recruitment month, when new volunteers are needed.
Complete the Volunteer Service Planning Session! If after attending our info sessions you decide we are the right organization for you, you can then sign up for a Volunteer Service Planning Session. This small group session includes a walking tour of the facility, initial training in the foundation role and an opportunity to practice the duties to determine if our opportunities are the right fit for you.
Mentored Training Shift! Following the planning session, the Volunteer Engagement team will review your paperwork and place you in the volunteer program if our assignment matches your skills, interests and availability. Once you have received your volunteer offer, you will schedule your hands on mentored training with a staff member or mentor volunteer.