Volunteer with KHS

Volunteering with shelter animals is a very rewarding experience.
Mahalo for your interest in volunteering with the Kauai Humane Society. As Kauai’s only open-intake animal shelter, we rely on our volunteers to help the thousands of animals who come through our doors every year get the care and attention they deserve.

How to Get Started:

Please review the information on this page and when you’re ready, click the button below to fill out an application.

What to Expect

Volunteering looks different every day. The beauty of working with animals is that everything is constantly changing. Animals are constantly coming into and leaving the shelter. Staff are constantly learning how to improve processes to make working with the animals safer, more efficient, and most importantly less stressful on the animals.

What you can expect is to get dirty. We have jobs for everyone and every skill set which doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to get dirty, but it’s safe to plan on it, just in case.

KHS priorities the safety and wellbeing of our animals and people. As long as you come with an open mindset and a willingness to work, you’ll leave your volunteer shift with a lighter step knowing you made a difference.

Mahalo for your generosity in donating your time to the animals.

What to Wear

We require all volunteers to wear long pants, preferably no leggings, and closed-toe shoes. This is for your safety.

KHS requires all volunteer to wear a volunteer shirt which can be purchased for $10. This is so staff and the public can easily locate all volunteers.

We recommend you wear clothes and shoes, or boots, which can get dirty, but are comfortable to work in.

Requirements

  1. All volunteers must go through an orientation deemed appropriate by the Volunteer Coordinator. This is for the safety and wellbeing of the volunteer, KHS staff, and animals.
  2. All volunteers must sign a volunteer waiver.
  3. All volunteers must wear a volunteer shirt during their shift.
  4. All volunteers must wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

 

Although not required for volunteers, we highly recommend all KHS volunteers go through the Fear Free Certification Course.

 

This is a free virtual course which serves as a foundation to work with animals in a way which will reduce their fear and stress levels. KHS is a certified Fear Free Shelter, and we require all staff members to complete this course.

Volunteers will need a letter from the shelter proving they are affiliated with KHS. A letter may be obtained through the Volunteer Coordinator or Director of Client Relations.

Getting Here & Hours of Operation

VOLUNTEER HOURS

KHS is open to volunteers seven days a week during regular business hours from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. KHS is closed to the public on Thursdays, but staff are still working and volunteers are welcome to come as long as staff are aware to expect volunteers.

 

OUR LOCATION

The Kaua’i Humane Society is located just west of Puhi:

Street Address: 3-825 Kaumualii Hwy, Lihue, HI 96766

Volunteer Opportunities

There's a role for everyone!
Foster – Fostering is one of the most important volunteer opportunities available.  A foster volunteer takes a shelter pet into their home to care for them, train them, and ultimately help KHS find the animal a positive outcome. KHS supplies everything for the animal and supplies all medical care, as well as supports the foster volunteer. To learn more about fostering, click here.

Volunteer Onsite – We need help cleaning kennels, walking dogs, feeding, enriching, and training every day. We need help with tasks as simple as doing the laundry, and tasks which require a little more creativity like writing bios for the animals’ adoption profiles.

Book Tails –  Book Tails is our volunteer opportunity for children ages 7-13. We encourage children to come in every second and fourth Saturday of the month to read to the shelter cats. Must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To learn more about Book Tails, click here

Volunteer Offsite – On occasion, we have opportunities for volunteers to take on special projects, help with events, or help at our BloomingTails Thrift Shop located in the Puhi Industrial Center.

Field Trips for Shelter Dogs – If you are unable to attend an orientation because you are visiting for a short time, you may be interested in taking a shelter dog out for the day. To learn more about the field trip program, click here.