About Volunteering With HRI
Volunteering
What do HRI Volunteers do? There is nothing they don't do! A few ways our volunteers help HRI include:
A rescue doesn't run itself. We must have people willing to serve on committees and the board.
- Bills must be paid (website/veterinary/grooming/store purchases/credit cards, etc.)
- Insurance must be obtained and kept up
- Database creation and maintenance
- Records must be entered and maintained for every dog
- Records of all expenses must be entered and maintained
- Tracking sales in the store(s)
- Permits and licenses must be obtained for various activities
- Decisions (sometimes very hard ones) must be made about whether we have the resources and foster homes to take in dogs
- Compliance with laws for 48 states must be researched and observed (and we recently had an international adoption!)
- Writing policies, procedures, and educational information for other volunteers
- Creating forms and contracts for intake and adoption
- Board meetings and other ongoing communication
We can't rescue dogs if we have no money to care for them. Fundraising includes:
- Quilting squares for the HRI Quilt Fundraiser
- Coordinating the fabrication of the quilt
- Selling quilt tickets
- Grant research and writing
- Coordinating an online auction to raise funds
- Helping to organize the huge events at the Havanese National Specialty
- Helping to staff the huge events at the Havanese National Specialty
- Procuring donations of items from businesses or individuals for our foster dogs or for auctions and fundraisers
- Storing and shipping store products
- Advertising events
The website is our "public face." The primary method for people to make contact with us to surrender or adopt dogs.
- Creation and general administration of the site (our site is not "static"—it changes constantly)
- Online forms creation and maintenance (so people can contact us)
- Photography
- Creation of dog listings on our site and PetFinder
- Writing/posting of educational materials about adoption, dog care, behavior problems, etc.
- Maintaining a social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.)
- Moderation of IO Groups
The best way for us to help dogs stay out of shelters and rescue is educating owners.
- Newsletter
- Writing articles
- Proofreading/editing
- Production/distribution
- Communicating HRI news to local HCA clubs
- Being available to counsel someone about a dog behavior issue
- Educating the public by setting up booths at local pet expos or shows
- Creating a slideshow or video for YouTube or educational venues
- Application processing
- Reference/Veterinary checks
- Home visits
- Record keeping
- Ensures that new volunteers join the IO Group(s)
- Orientation/Mentoring new volunteers
- Coordinating foster placements in state
- Mentoring foster parents
- Helping to coordinate vet care
- Ensuring that each dog has HRI ID tags while in foster care
- staffing the intake group 7 days a week
- emailing and making phone calls to follow up on dogs needing our help
- assessing safety risk (if dog is known to have aggression issues the board must be involved in the decision process)
- deciding whether we can accept a particular dog
- keeps track of ALL the dogs currently in foster care and those coming into foster care, including who is fostering, what their adoption status is.
- providing photos and write ups for dog listings to the geeks for the website
- mentoring foster parents
- determining the appropriate adoption fee amount to be requested for each dog based on age, health, behaviour issues, etc.
- too many other tasks to list!
- providing financial support/donations
- donating air miles for transport
- researching prices on vet care, flea-tick medications, grooming etc.
- storing/shipping things for foster dogs (leashes, collars, belly-bands, etc)
- providing moral support and camaraderie to other volunteers as they share their successes and challenges with HRI dogs
- Thank you cards to donors
- Get well cards to ill volunteers
Now we're finally down to actual contact with a dog.
- IDing/assessing dogs/checking on dogs in shelters
- coordinating dog transports
- driving a leg of a transport
- driving various distances to meet a devastated owner forced to surrender their beloved pet and trying to help them and the dog
- fostering, feeding, administering medications, vet trips, training/addressing behavior problems/issues, grooming, socializing
- responding to applications
- reference/veterinary checks
- home visits
- record keeping
- follow up on adoptions to ensure successful placement
It takes all of this — and more — to provide a safe haven and secure future for the Havanese that need us. We cannot do this without you. So if you're wondering "how can I help" feel free to look over this list then contact someone and say "Hey! I can help with that!"