Volunteer
Volunteers at the Humane Society of the Black Hills are key to helping us meet our mission of Serving Animals, Serving Community. Volunteers are vital to the success of the humane society and contribute thousands of hours each year to help ensure the animals here are socialized, happy, and healthy while they wait to be adopted.


Volunteer
Volunteers at the Humane Society of the Black Hills are key to helping us meet our mission of Serving Animals, Serving Community. Volunteers are vital to the success of the humane society and contribute thousands of hours each year to help ensure the animals here are socialized, happy, and healthy while they wait to be adopted.
While our volunteers come from different backgrounds, they all have three things in common:
- Compassion for the animals in our community
- Commitment to work together to create a brighter future for the animals
- Consistency and reliability in helping us care for the animals and operate our programs
Some of the areas in which our volunteers provide much-needed help include the following:
*Dog Walking
*Cat Socializing
*Grooming
*Laundry
Outreach Efforts
Donor Engagement
Fundraising
*Office/Clerical Duties
Upcoming Events
Age Requirement
16 and under: Youth under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian
16 and older: Ages 16 and older may work independently with the animals
Court Ordered Volunteering and Community Service
There are currently no opportunities for individuals needing specific hours for court-ordered volunteering, clubs, or other community service requirements.
If you need court ordered volunteer or community service hours, that is a different program than the volunteer program at the Humane Society of the Black Hills. To learn more about court ordered or community service time, call (605) 394-4170. Community Service members must be at least 18 years of age.
High School Age Volunteers
There are currently no opportunities for onsite volunteering to obtain only specific hours required by classes or schools. There are, however, many offsite opportunities we’d love to help you organize instead! Email our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@hsbh.org to inquire about offsite volunteering options for your required hours that still help animals at the Humane Society of the Black Hills.
High school students and teenagers involved in church or other civic organizations often need between 4 and 10 volunteer hours. Students needing limited hours who don’t intend to become long-term volunteers at the Humane Society of the Black Hills can take advantage of a program designed for their specific needs. This program entails specific opportunities for youth and is not the same as regular volunteering.
Groups
While we cannot accomodate group volunteering with animals, our shelter often has projects we need some extra hands with!
Does your group have a special skillset (landscaping, building, etc.) they’d like to put to use to benefit animals in our care? Maybe your group wants to make toys, treats, or enrichment items for our residents? Reach out to our Executive Director at operations@hsbh.org to see what’s available or most needed!
Getting Started
Please see the top of this page for a current listing of our volunteer opportunities and needs.
Here’s how to get started in the volunteer program:
- Download the volunteer packet. (PDF)
- Read and sign the contact form, release of liability, conflict of interest statement, and COVID-19 waiver.
- Find an orientation date that works for you on our calendar. https://www.hsbh.org/events/month/
- Register for one of the scheduled orientation dates listed on the HSBH calendar by emailing hsbhinformation@gmail.com. Simply indicate which scheduled orientation you will be attending and we’ll get you on the list. Please bring completed documents to your scheduled volunteer orientation!
Orientation
Please see the top of this page for a current listing of our volunteer opportunities and needs.
Incoming volunteers are required to attend an orientation class to tour the shelter and learn about volunteer guidelines, opportunities, and Humane Society policies. Available orientations can be found on the Humane Society calendar – https://www.hsbh.org/events/month/2022-12/. Please call (605) 394-4170 to register for an orientation time.
We appreciate your interest in helping us serve more than 4,000 local animals each year!
Questions: Contact our Volunteer Coordinator by email at volunteer@hsbh.org