Why volunteer with our Pack?

 

When you volunteer with us, you become a part of our Muddy Paws Pack — a wonderful community committed to helping rescue dogs find loving homes.

You will meet enthusiastic people from all walks of life, make new friends and experience the fulfillment from helping dogs in need as part of a team.

No matter how big or small your volunteer efforts, you will help make a real difference in the lives of countless dogs and families.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

 

We always welcome new dog-loving volunteers who embody our core values of being positive, welcoming, responsive, and supportive. Our volunteer openings are for event, remote and behind-the-scenes roles.

 
 

Volunteer Driver
Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to help us transport dogs and supplies to various locations throughout the city to events, foster homes, and various other locations throughout the Tri-state area.

Marketing
Our Marketing Team works on various fundraising initiatives, copywriting, produce content, run social ads, email marketing, and manages our public relations.

Adoption Event Volunteer
As an Adoption Event Volunteer, you will spread the word about our lifesaving work and help us send our dogs to their perfect forever homes.

Design & Video
Graphic Designers and Videographers produce internal and external materials in line with our branding, help to elevate our lifesaving projects and develop new resources for our programs.

Information Technology
Our Tech Team assists with various technological projects and continue to develop our website and other resources to streamline our processes for our Adoptions & Foster Program.

Fundraising
Our Development Team assists our Development Director with various fundraising initiatives, data entry, and donor management.

 
 

Volunteers in Action

 

Muddy Paws makes getting involved as a volunteer, foster, and adopter easy and accessible. Everyone here is as committed to doing right by the dogs as they are to doing right by the people.

I especially appreciate the opportunity to greet dogs arriving in the city for the first time from our shelter partners in the South. I know that helping them feel safe as they adjust to the new sights, sounds, and smells of New York sets them up for success with their new forever families.

Michael F.
Foster Team

I started volunteering because I wanted to help others feel supported during their adoption process, just like I did when I adopted my dog from MPR! I love volunteering because I know I’m not only helping our dogs find forever homes, but I’m helping make adoption more accessible for so many people.

All the volunteers with Muddy Paws are so committed and passionate about helping in any way they can. It really feels like a community.

Katlyn H.
Volunteer Team

I love volunteering and fostering with Muddy Paws because of the strong sense of community. Every dog and every human I have met through this organization is incredible. The people are supportive, kind, and willing to offer advice on anything dog and non-dog related.

I am so thankful for the friends I have made for their patience, dog tips, and constant stream of dog pictures.And of course, there are the dogs. Watching them come out of their shells is an incredibly rewarding experience.

Maria G.
Foster Team

I’ve been a volunteer for two years and have loved every minute. Muddy Paws Rescue has been an amazing outlet for me, providing a place to volunteer my time, meet incredible new friends, and, most importantly, it has given me a place to “belong.” Joining this group means that you gain a family and get to help some pups in the process. Who can beat that!

My favorite part of volunteering is seeing the pure joy & excitement that happens when a dog and a family meet. You can truly see the magic in the air when it's the right fit.

Lauren L.
Volunteer Team

Female volunteer in sunglasses holds a black puppy

Volunteering with Muddy Paws has given me the opportunity to get involved with a cause I’m passionate about - working with rescue dogs. On top of that, I’m part of an incredible community of people who share this same passion.

I love is speaking with potential adopters, and helping them find their perfect match in a dog. The best part is hearing from them months later on how their rescue changed their lives. I’m grateful to be a part of something so impactful!

Chloe K.
Adoptions Team

 
 
 

Currently Seeking

+ Adoption & Special Event Volunteers

Adoption event volunteers join us in-person for adoption adoptions and other special events, interfacing with the public, repping MPR, and spending time with the pups.

Time Commitment: 4+ hours per month
Reports To: Volunteer Program Manager
Requirements:

  • Adoption and special event volunteers must be at least 18 years of age
  • Attend an MPR Volunteer Information Session and complete provided trainings
  • High level of comfort interacting with the public to answer questions, explain processes, etc
  • Must love dogs!

Key Responsibilities:

  • Arrive on time for scheduled shifts and provide sufficient notice if your schedule changes
  • Fill different roles depending on your level of training, including but not limited to:
    • General Event Volunteer
    • Animal Handling & Support
    • Specialized roles such as Adoption Ambassador

+ Volunteer Drivers

Volunteer drivers transport supplies and items for MPR using their personal vehicles.

Time Commitment: 1-5 hours per week
Reports To: Volunteer Program Manager
Requirements:

  • Provide annual updates on your vehicle insurance policy and registration
  • Ensure regular vehicle maintenance to ensure the safety of our dogs
  • Possess a valid driver’s license and safe driving record with a maximum of 3 demerit points
  • Access to a vehicle that is roadworthy, reliable
  • No health conditions that may impair your ability to drive safely (vision, hearing, perception, reflexes, certain medications, etc.)
  • Understand that car rides can often be stressful for dogs, often resulting in barking, panting, pacing, or other behaviors Understand that there is a likelihood of a urinating, defecating, or vomiting in your vehicle

Key Responsibilities:

  • Be punctual and dependable in completing the transport assignment at the scheduled time
    • Keep the MPR staff informed regarding your availability
    • Provide Transportation Coordinator with as much notice as possible when canceling a trip
  • Provide one way or round-trip transportation to local events or appointments
    • Offer rides to dogs that need assistance getting to veterinary appointments, adoption meetings, and events
  • Rescue partner pick-up
    • Incoming transports oftentimes meet in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or other areas within 2-3 hours of NYC. Drivers retrieve dogs from these locations and bring them to their fosters
  • Local supply pick-up and drop off
    • We have an inventory or supplies that can be used by foster parents while fostering
    • When supplies are no longer in use, drivers assist with returning these items to MPR HQ
    • When there are incoming transports, we also employ drivers to assist with getting fosters the items they need for their pups
  • Long-distance rescue partner transport
    • In some cases, we work with organizations that are located upwards of 2 hours from NYC. In order to ensure that our dogs are traveling safely, we have these transports completed by volunteer drivers
  • Local shelter pick-up
    • When we take dogs from local shelter partners, we often need volunteer drivers to transport them to their fosters
    • We work with a few different local shelters, including:
      • Brooklyn Animal Care Centers
      • Manhattan Animal Care Centers
      • ASPCA

+ IT Developer Support

At Muddy Paws Rescue, innovation is one of our core goals–and technology is a huge part of that! We utilize many existing platforms, but have also built some custom solutions based on our unique needs. We’re currently seeking volunteers with the following skillsets to help us continue to develop and refine these custom solutions.

Front-End Developer

Requirements

  • Expertise with React
    • Knowledge of modern React practicies (e.g. Hooks)
  • Familiarity with Bootstrap of similar UI framework
  • Knowledge of CSS

Nice to have

  • Familiarity with Firebase (namely Cloud Firestore) a big plus
  • Experience using RxJS/Observables and functional programming
  • Familiarity with Auth0/OAuth concepts

Backend/Full-Stack Developer

Requirements

  • Experience with Node.js
  • Experience with Express or other REST frameworks
  • Familiarity with Auth0/OAuth concepts

Nice to have:

  • Experience working with Google Cloud (namely App Engine, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Secret Manager, and IAM)
  • Experience working with the Salesforce API/JSForce
 

Looking to volunteer remotely as one of our “specialized skills” volunteers?
If you have a special skill that you think would benefit MPR, contact us!

 

Looking to volunteer in-person at adoption events and special events?
Sign up for a virtual information session below! This is the first step to becoming an in-person volunteer with MPR. If you don’t see open sessions, please check back soon as we add more regularly!

 
 
 

Sign Up for a Volunteer Information Session

If all our sessions below are currently full, please email our team at volunteers@muddypawsrescue.org, we will be happy to help sign you up!

 
 

Volunteer FAQs

+ Is there a minimum age for volunteering?

All volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

+ Do volunteers need to have previous volunteer experience or dog handling skills?

Having previous experience and dog handling skills are certainly a plus, but not required. In fact, most of our volunteer roles do not directly involve dog handling, so a general enthusiasm for rescue, willingness to learn, and excitement to talk about our work are just as valuable!

+ Can a group of my friends or colleagues volunteer together?

We are generally unable to accommodate group volunteering due to our staffing and training needs. You can absolutely feel free to apply with a friend or partner and sign up for the same shifts, but we are unfortunately unable to reserve spots for group volunteering purposes. Check out our Corporate Partnerships Deck for opportunities with your company.

+ Where are you located?

We are a foster-based rescue, which means that we do not have a physical shelter and all of our dogs stay in loving, temporary homes until they are adopted. Our weekend adoption events are generally held in lower Manhattan, either in Union Square, Madison Square or the Lower East Side. Our administrative headquarters is located in Astoria.

+ Can you provide letters for community service hours?

If you need proof of volunteering with a 501(c)3 organization, we will happily provide this letter once your hours are complete. However, we're unable to expedite the completion of these hours.

+ What are you doing for COVID-19 safety?

We have significantly reduced all in-person volunteering staffing and, when possible, volunteers are to work remotely. For any in-person volunteer roles, we have implemented additional sanitization measures in line with recommendations from the Center for Disease Control.

Have a question that you don’t see listed here? Contact us!

 
 
 

Not sure if VOLUNTEERING is right for you? Consider other ways tO GET INVOLVED.

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