BC Pets and Friends Society

What services does your organization provide?
Pets and Friends recruits volunteer visitation teams (pet/human) screens the pets to determine if they are suitable for the pet visitation program and provides the owners with an orientation session about pet visitation and what to expect. We then link new volunteer teams with the care facility of their choice.

Do you have any age requirements?
Pet visitation team :Minimum age is 16 for pet visitations without parents. Children of any age are welcome to accompany their parent on visits.

Fundraiser Volunteers: 16 years

Do you require language proficiency other than in English?
Any language in addition to English is very welcomed and appreciated.

What time commitment(s) are you expecting from a volunteer?
We ask that Pet Visitation Teams are able to provide regular one hour weekly visits to their chosen facility for a Minimun of one year.

For Fundraising Volunteers approximately 3 month commitments depending on the fundraising event/project

Are there any other requirements for being a volunteer?
For pet visitation team volunteers : a pet or regular access to a friend or family's pet is required.

Are there any specific skills and experience required?
For Volunteer Pet Visitation Teams no specific skills or experience required.

For Fundrasing Volunteers we prefer volunteers with experience or with a specific event or project in mind.

What type of volunteer positions are typically available?
Pet Visitation Teams - owner & pet making regular weekly visits to their chosen care facility.

Fundraising Volunteers - individuals or groups who organize a fundraising event such as Penny Drives, Car Washes, Dog Washes, Silent Auction , Raffles

Do you provide training for volunteers?
Pet Visitation Teams - all pets are screened to ensure the right temperament for the program and all human volunteers attend a 3 hour orientation session.

How will a person benefit from volunteering with BC Pets and Friends Society?
Our pet visitation team volunteers have described the experience of sharing their pet with those who can no longer own one and seeing the happiness that these visits bring as life changing. Many feel very enriched by the friendships they develop with those they & their pet visit each week.
Fundrasing Volunteers - come away from organizing and executing a fundraiser on behalf of Pets and Friends excited and gratified to have helped toward providing more pet visitation teams for seniors and disabled persons in the community. It helps hone organizational skills and further connect people with their community.

Do you accept high school students?
Pet Visitation Team Volunteers - due to the long term commitment requested of this volunteer position it is not well suited for high school students seeking to fulfil their community service hours.
Fundraising Volunteers - This position is very well suited for high school students as the fundraising events they organize usually fit well with the community service hours they require.