Volunteer with CITY DOGS Cleveland

The volunteer champion program means you have committed to getting to know an adoptable dog a little extra and helping promote them. The champion program focuses on our long-time, overlooked dogs. 

Outings allow volunteers to take an adoptable dog off kennel property during walking hours, most frequently as their champion. This could be a car ride for a pup-cup, a walk at a nearby park, or a training class. Volunteers get to know the dog outside of the stressful environment of the kennel, give the dog extra enrichment, and a break from the kennel. Volunteers are expected to prioritize the safety of the dog and humans while out in public and strictly follow guidelines to ensure these opportunities can continue in the future. 

 A branch of the Run Group, Hikes are scheduled monthly by hike leads. Volunteers load up a group of dogs into the CITY DOGS van and personal vehicles and take them off-site to a local metropark to hike a trail. These hikes range from 2-3 miles. All supplies are provided to participants. 

Two positions are needed for all hikes

• Pod person - carries water for the dogs & safety supplies
• Handler - walks with a dog

Hikes prioritize long-term kennel residents and those dogs who are especially energetic or getting frustrated at the kennel, providing extra enrichment and exercise which it’s not exaggerating to say can be lifesaving! 

This is one of our non-handling enrichment opportunities.

KONGS are a type of food puzzle enrichment. Filled with treats, sealed with peanut butter or other yummy options, then frozen to make them last longer. KONGS give dogs some entertainment while hanging out in their kennels! 

Currently, the KONG team is the primary source of in-kennel enrichment. The KONG team cleans, stuffs, freezes, and distributes tasty KONGS multiple times a week for the dogs to enjoy. Common KONG fillers are peanut butter, spray cheese and mini treats. Dogs also get to enjoy durable chew toys in their kennels.

For many, the search for a new pet starts online, so it’s important to have a strong online presence! Volunteers help to run various social media platforms, help write dog biographies, and keep online profiles up to date. 

Pictures play a HUGE role in getting a dog adopted! We are very lucky to have a number of professional/semi-professional photographers who donate their time, but you don’t need to have a fancy camera to capture a heart-warming moments. Cell phone picture are also shared with the marketing team to use.

Other jobs that can be done remotely to help with the administrative side of the program, include keeping GoogleDocs up to date. Office assistants in the kennel (when it is open to the public) help keep kennel cards up to date and other organizing tasks as needed. These are all non-handling positions.

Help our Canine Enrichment Team with daily play groups! Play Group Runners help by

• getting dogs out of their kennels & out to the yards to play & socialize
• return dogs to their kennels once they are done playing 

While volunteers should not expect to be inside the yards managing the play groups, this position is fast paced and is critical to helping play groups to succeed. 20 minutes of play is equal to a 1 hour walk, 30 minutes of play is equal to a 2 hour walk - making playgroup an efficient method of of providing enrichment time. 

The goal: To get all dogs out of their cage & into the fresh air multiple times per day for exercise & potty breaks, which helps keep dogs at the kennel happy & healthy. Dog walkers can set their own schedule to walk anytime during volunteer hours, though we do ask you sign up in advance. 

In addition to a walk/potty break, dog walkers also provide: play time in the yards, human socialization, cuddle time, baths, basic training, and more!