Volunteer
Volunteer
"There are plenty of pets to take care of so if you're not interested in adopting at the time you can
still do your part and help out!"
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the York County SPCA. It is due to the amazing volunteer services of hundreds of individuals around York, that we are able to continue to serve our community! Thank you for your selflessness and for your willingness to help the animals of York County!
This is your opportunity to have fun with the dogs, get a lot of exercise and benefit the 70+ dogs who need to be walked and socialized each day. The first step? Sign up for a session of dog walking classes. Attendance is required at ALL classes in your selected session unless previous arrangements are made. After graduation, you can walk on any day of the week. We prefer volunteers who can regularly walk the same day(s) each week, but that is not required. People who don’t want to handle the large dogs are welcome to work with the small dogs.
Dog Walker Training
Please note that walking big AND small dogs requires good manual dexterity, upper body strength and a fitness level that allows you to walk about 3 miles with ease. You should be able to walk independently while maintaining a firm grip on the leash. This may sometimes require both hands. You need to be able to keep your balance on rolling terrain, even if your dog suddenly lunges with 30-50 lbs. of pressure on the leash. We have found that candidates with physical limitations or poor physical conditioning are unlikely to enjoy or be successful at dog walking. We have plenty of other volunteer opportunities for those individuals that are physically unable to take part in our dog walking classes.
To pre-register for a training session, email Candi Sauble at csauble@ycspca.org. Attendance is limited to 20 people for each session. The registration fee is $25, which will provide attendees with a leash, T-shirt and name tag. Classes will fill quickly so sign up as soon as possible!
- Session #1
- Session #2
- Session #3
- Session #4
- Session #5
- Session #6
- Session #7
- March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 1-4 p.m. (Thursday Afternoons)
- April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16, – 1-4 p.m. (Tuesday Afternoons)
- June 8, 15, 22,29, July 6 – 6-8 p.m. (Thursday Evenings)
- August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 1-4 p.m. (Wednesday Afternoons)
- August 17, 24, 31 September 7, 14 – 6-8 p.m. (Thursday Evenings)
- September 17, 24 October 1, 8, 15 – 10am-1p.m. (Sunday Morning)
- October 13, 20, 27 November 3, 10 – 1-4 p.m. (Friday Afternoons)
The purpose of the Youth Volunteer Program, which currently meets once a month at the shelter, is to involve the youth throughout the York community in York County SPCA activities. Due to the large amount of interest we have received recently, we are not currently accepting new applications for youth volunteers at this time. Please check back for more information in the future. Thanks for your interest!