Volunteering at the KCSPCA

Our Mission

The Kent County SPCA is a non-profit organization. We rely on the support of the community in the form of private donations, bequests, fundraising events, memberships and volunteering to carry out our goals. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and suffering to animals, rescue the trapped or injured, provide emergency medical treatment and temporary housing to homeless animals and to reduce pet overpopulation through various spay/neuter and education programs. The KCSPCA is committed to placing unwanted pets into happy, healthy homes and to educate the public about responsible pet guardianship.

Volunteers are crucial to the quality of care the KCSPCA provides to the animals here at the shelter and at our satellite adoption sites. You can make a difference in their lives every time you come in to the shelter or volunteer at one of our many community events. The ultimate goal is to make certain that the animals are happy, healthy and well-socialized. All these things improve their chances for adoption.

Contact Information

If you have questions about volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah Harding at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling, 302-698-3006, ext 120.

Time Commitment

Volunteers are needed seven days a week for the KCSPCA to be successful in all that we are striving to accomplish. This includes evenings and weekends, here at the shelter, at our satellite adoption centers or at off-site events. These opportunities vary each month, but all require a sincere commitment to the needs of the shelter. We ask that our volunteers be serious about their volunteer time and make an on-going commitment to the shelter. A dedicated group of volunteers makes all the difference to the animals at the KCSPCA.

Age Requirements

We do not recommend children under the age of 14 years old join our volunteer program. Some animals in our care are too much for them to handle and our first concern is for their safety and the safety and well-being of the animals. If you are under the age of 16, you must have a parent join the program with you, attend orientation and volunteer with you at all times. They must also complete an application, and sign all agreements and waivers for themselves as well as their child. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian attend the orientation with them.

How to Get Started

Volunteer positions are open to qualified applicants who can make an ongoing dedication to our animals. You do need certain skills for some of the positions.

Please visit our Volunteer Job Opportunities page to familiarize yourself with the jobs and training requirements.

1. A Volunteer Application must be filled out and mailed, faxed, emailed or dropped off at the shelter.
2. After we review your application, you will be contacted to attend an orientation session. You are required to pre-register for orientation, so it is important that you confirm your attendance with the Volunteer Coordinator.
3. At the orientation, you will be provided with an overview of our programs and all available volunteer job opportunities.
4. Following orientation, you will be informed of training dates and times. Please note you cannot start volunteering without attending training.

Download volunteer application (pdf format)

Download volunteer application (MS Word)

Community Service

For school community service hours, we request that you contact the Volunteer Coordinator as soon as you know you need to fulfill hours. Please have all of your required paperwork ready and be able to give contact and deadline information along with your application. Because of our orientation and training requirements, it takes time to get volunteers through the process and comfortable with their responsibilities. While we always strive to help with this, it is not our responsibility to make sure your hours are fulfilled by the deadline. When hour’s sheets are due, please notify the Volunteer Coordinator one week prior to the deadline to ensure enough time for processing.

For court appointed community service hours, a pre-orientation interview is required with the Volunteer Coordinator. Please make an appointment and have all court issued paperwork available for review. After your interview, your paperwork will be reviewed and you will be notified if your application has been accepted. If you are accepted into the volunteer program, you will be scheduled for training. We reserve the right to refuse court appointed community service applicants for any reason. If you do not follow the above procedure and comply with all requirements set forth, we will not approve your application and will consider your application closed.

Our group opportunities are project-based since we require that all volunteers who will be working directly with the animals attend our orientation and training sessions. Below is a list of

community service projects that will help improve the lives of animals at the KCSPCA. If you wish to receive formal credit for a project, please fill out our youth community service application in advance of your project so that it can be reviewed by the Volunteer Coordinator.

Download youth community service project application (pdf format)

Download youth community service project application (MS Word) 

•Collect Donations / Organize a Donation Drive - Collect items from our wish list for animals at our shelter and in foster care. Items such as toys and blankets make their stay more comfortable. You can decorate a bin and ask to place it in a public area as a drop off point or design signs to put up at school or your parent’s place of employment.

•Bake Biscuits for the Dogs and Cats – You can get great recipes on the internet.

•Hold a Bake Sale or a Lemonade Stand - Choose a public place (make sure you get approval) and sell home baked goodies. The money you raise will be used for our programs!

•Hold a Penny or Coin Drive - Organize a campaign in your school or group for everyone to bring in their loose change.

•Organize a Car Wash - Where the funds will be used for homeless animals! You can work on obtaining a location, make signs, and advertise!

•Inform People About an Animal Related Issue - Choose an issue that affects animals, such as the importance of spaying/neutering.

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