Cat Room Assistant

Cat Room Assistants help the staff with cleaning individual cages, feeding and watering, doing laundry, washing dishes, and other tasks necessary to provide our cats with a healthy and comfortable environment.

For this position, you’ll be required to perform physical activities, such as reaching and light lifting. A love of cats is a bonus! Feline staff and experienced volunteers will provide on-the-job training on our handling and cleaning procedures.

Scheduled times: 8am—10am and 3pm—4pm daily
We ask for a one or two-hour commitment each week.

Dog Walker

We guarantee that this position will keep both you and our dogs healthy and happy! As a dog walker, you’ll be an integral part of our kennel team by ensuring that all of our dogs receive exercise and socialization.

Dog Walkers must be able to handle large, strong, and stressed dogs and walk on different terrains in all types of weather. Training for new volunteers includes shadowing a staff member and reviewing training videos.

Scheduled times: 10am, 12noon and 3pm daily
We ask for a one or two-hour commitment each week.

Kennel Cleaner

To keep our dogs clean and cozy, Kennel Cleaners will assist the staff with a variety of jobs, including cleaning and disinfecting kennel surfaces, changing bedding, doing laundry, and washing bowls.

This position requires much physical activity, including lifting, stooping, and bending. Kennel staff and experienced volunteers will provide on-the-job training on our handling and cleaning procedures.

Scheduled time: 8am daily
We ask for a two-hour commitment each week.

Small Animal Assistant

As a Small Animal Assistant, you’ll help clean the cages of our “littles,” including rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and ferrets, as well as birds.

This position requires physical activity, including light lifting, stooping, and bending. Small Animal staff and experienced volunteers will provide on-the-job training about our handling and cleaning procedures.

Scheduled time: 8am daily
We ask for a two-hour commitment each week.

If you’re a people person, we want you! We need friendly faces to greet and assist visitors, answer the phone, and do all sorts of administrative tasks.

Front Desk Receptionists need to be out-going, prompt, efficient, and responsible and have good communication skills. A sense of humor is also a benefit. Our Volunteer Coordinator and experienced volunteers will provide on-the-job training about our shelter programs and policies.

Scheduled times: 10am-4pm/Tuesday-Saturday
5pm-8pm/Thursday
1pm-4pm/Sunday
We ask for a two-hour or more commitment each week.

Like kids and animals? Then this position might be a good fit for you! As part of our Humane Education program, you’ll help give shelter tours, visit schools and other local groups, and host birthday parties.

This position requires that you enjoy working with kids, have good communication skills, and are patient and creative. Our Humane Educator will provide on-the-job training about our shelter programs and policies.

Schedule varies and typically includes weekends.

If you love animals and have a little extra room in your heart and home, then fostering might just be right for you!

Throughout the year, we need volunteer foster caregivers to provide temporary homes for two programs:

• our Shelter Animal Program, which includes nursing mother cats and their kittens or dogs with medical needs
• our SafePet Program, which offers emergency housing to pets owned by individuals or families in crisis or transition.

Fostering a shelter or SafePet animal can be a wonderful opportunity to have some furry companionship while providing an animal in need with a quiet, comfortable home environment. Fostering can be especially attractive to retirees or folks who have recently lost a pet and aren’t ready for a permanent new addition.

We’re especially interested in foster homes that have no other residential animals.

We pay all expenses, including food, supplies, and veterinary care – you supply the TLC!

Depending on the animal and the program, fostering can last from a few weeks to several months. Animals placed into foster homes are up-to-date on their vaccinations, spayed/neutered, and given a wellness check by a local veterinarian.

To be a foster caregiver, we ask that you be at least 18 years old and have reliable transportation, some experience caring for animals, and a safe, separate area in your home for the animal. Interested? Please complete a Foster Application. Once we receive it, we’ll schedule a home visit at your convenience. More information? Call Cheryl Truskowski, Shelter Manager, at +1 (413) 447-7878, ext. 125 or email her.

Throughout the year, we need assistance with our onsite and offsite fundraisers and other community events. At these events, your responsibilities can range from setting up tables and/or tents to providing information to visitors and selling Berkshire Humane Society merchandise.

Special Events Assistants need to be out-going and have good communications skills. Our Volunteer Coordinator and experienced volunteers will provide on-the-job training about our shelter programs and policies.

Schedule varies and can include weekdays, nights, or weekends.

Do you travel often? Are you allergic to animals? Do you have a busy schedule that constantly changes? You can still volunteer at Berkshire Humane Society and make at a huge difference.

We offer these additional opportunities:

Newsletter Mailer
Event Baker
Canister Caretaker
Advertising Distributor
Animal Transporter to or from local veterinarians
Gardener