Volunteer

Ready to join our volunteer pack? Click here to sign up: https://pointapp.org/orgs/2194

KCHA is always in need of compassionate people ready to make a difference in the lives of our shelter pets. Help meet our physical needs by orchestrating a donation drive – check out our wishlist for our most used items and preferred brands of food!

We’re looking for motivated, reliable volunteers we can depend on! We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available, and we’re open to more ways YOU can help. We appreciate extra sets of hands in the morning to help clean, and it's impossible not enjoy seeing our pets light up with enrichment activities in the afternoon!

Areas we need volunteers the most:

  • Playgroups - monitoring our bouncy dogs as they stretch their legs and PLAY!
  • Cattery - summertime and the kitties are a-plenty! Assisting our staff cleaning, refilling food & water, and keeping the kitties happy are a big, BIG help!
  • Kitten nursery - helping care for our ophan kittens and nursing moms
  • Photography - photographing our pets helps show their true personalities to the world!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please e-mail [email protected].

Dog Enrichment

Large breed dogs are a ton of fun, but the level of care they need to cope with kennel-related stress make them a lot of work, too! Big, bouncy dogs require routine exercise, dog-to-dog socialization, and in-kennel enrichment to keep their minds busy. Staffed entirely by volunteers, the dog enrichment team will enhance the quality of care provided to KCHA’s often longest term residents!

The goal of the dog enrichment team is to provide individualized care and enrichment for friendly, fearful, and sometimes reactive dogs during their time in our facility. The team will increase the adoptability of KCHA’s large breed dogs, with a focus on reducing length of stay. In addition to its volunteers, the team’s success also depends on playgroups – a level four care activity you may be interested in joining!

We offer DAILY playgroup training and volunteering opportunities. Get signed up by clicking here: https://pointapp.org/orgs/2194

Volunteer shifts are available daily from 7:00 am until noon. If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected].

Kitten Nursery Volunteers Needed

Volunteers who have completed training & would like to schedule their shift, click here: https://pointapp.org/orgs/2194

New to the kitten nursery world? Read on!
Newborn kittens are the cutest animals at KCHA. Our nursery allows us to keep them safe and sound while they grow!

KCHA is seeking dedicated volunteers to work scheduled shifts in our kitten nursery. Volunteers in the nursery are responsible for cleaning up after the kittens (sometimes they are messy eaters - but it's adorable!), resetting their cages with fresh food/ water/ litter, and showing them love with treats, toys, and snuggles!

Nursery volunteers should have kitten experience and be able to work a minimum of one shift per week. Shifts are available daily from 8:00 am - 11:30 am, 11:15 am - 2:45 pm, and 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm. If you haven't worked with kittens before, we recommend volunteering in our cat room to get the swing of things first!

Become a Kitten Nursery Volunteer

  1. Complete a volunteer profile and register for a training session here: https://pointapp.org/orgs/2194
  2. Next, complete the Kitten Nursery Volunteer online orientation
  3. Come in and get started!

Foster Care

KCHA is the largest and most lifesaving shelter in the state of West Virginia. We admit nearly 1,500 unweaned and juvenile kittens annually from April to October. Foster families are needed to help them grow healthy, happy, and ready for adoption!

Neonatal Kitten Fosters

Newborn kittens are the cutest animals at KCHA. But the level of TLC they need to survive makes them extra vulnerable, too! The fragile fuzz balls require round-the-clock attention, feedings every few hours, and help regulating their body temperature. Thanks to a generous donation, KCHA opened a kitten nursery in 2018. Despite being the first of its kind in West Virginia, KCHA’s nursery is simply too small to care for the volume of kittens in need. That’s where you come in!

Foster families are need to provide care for unweaned kittens, including feeding, eliminating, bathing, weighing, and socializing kittens to get them used to human affection.

Become a Kitten Foster

  1. Complete a foster application. Click the green registration button in the upper right hand corner of your screen, then complete the application.
  2. Next, complete the Neonatal Kitten Foster online orientation
  3. We'll be in touch within 48 hours. Thank you for applying to foster KCHA's favorite fragile fuzz balls!

Resources

Fading Kitten Syndrome Protocol

Maddie's Pet Assistant

For more information, please email [email protected]

FAQs

Becoming a Foster Family

To become a foster family, we suggest attending Fostering 101. This orientation session will cover everything you need to know about animal care, allow you to meet our friendly staff, and develop an understanding of how fostering supports KCHA's mission.

The typical foster stay is two weeks to two months, depending on the needs of the individual animal(s) in your care. The time frame of each foster situation will be discussed with you ahead of time.

Puppies and kittens under two months, mothers with nursing babies, dogs or cats with medical conditions or injuries, and special needs animals.

Yes, we welcome pet owners as foster volunteers. Please keep in mind that there is always a health risk when exposing your pets to other animals in any setting. However, the risk is minimal if your pets are vaccinated and in good health.

Foster families provide housing, food, bedding and toys for the animals in their care. They also provide exercise, socialization, and lots of love! KCHA provides all medical care for the animals in foster care, including vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries and medications.

Watch this great video to learn how! Have questions about how to care for kittens, common kitten medical issues, or kitten development stages? Check out Austin Humane Society’s Foster Kitten Handbook to get answers to the common questions and learn more about fostering procedures.