Find a Pet Shelter in Chicago

• 1). Find a shelter in your area. The Chicago Yellow Pages is a good place to start since it will list detailed information about all shelters in or around the city you live in. Write down the names and numbers of each shelter.
  
  
• 2). Prepare a list of questions. These questions should address concerns such as the shelter's volunteer hours, the jobs it has available, how soon you can start and how long it takes to apply for a position. Have the list ready before you start calling shelters to make sure you get answers to all of your questions.
  
  
• 3). Call the shelters on your list and ask if they need volunteers. If a shelter is not hiring volunteers at the moment, ask if the employee knows of any other shelters that may need help. Write down the details for each shelter you call so that you can compare the shelters and decide which one seems best to volunteer for.
  
  
• 4). Visit all the shelters that interest you. You want to make sure that you volunteer for an establishment that holds animal welfare and care as a number-one priority. Check for cleanliness of pet cages and surrounding areas. Observe how the staff interacts with and treats the animals. The staff should be knowledgeable, friendly, easy to approach and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the animals. Talk with some of the employees to see if they are generally happy about working for the shelter. This should help you decide if a particular shelter is the best place to volunteer your services.
  
  
• 5). Fill out an application on the shelter's website or apply in person. After submitting an application, the shelter's coordinator will usually contact you to discuss volunteering opportunities and what hours you can work. If the shelter has a formal application process, the coordinator may schedule an interview for you.