Advocate - COVID-19 Help

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Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the St. Augustine Humane Society! We want every pet to have the chance to live happy, healthy lives with their loving families. Our programs and resources are designed to fight against the most common reasons pets are relinquished to shelters. By providing these lifesaving resources to the community, we are able to help reduce the need for animals to enter shelters, helping end needless euthanasia.

COVID-19 Procedures

Like everyone, we are feeling the impacts of COVID-19. As veterinary care is an essential service, we are open and helping clients via curbside assistance. As we make plans to reopen in accordance with safety guidelines, we are seeking volunteers who are able to help. Proper Personal Protection Equipment will be provided to all volunteers, and instructions will be given for our current altered procedures. Now more than ever, we need your help.

What is the Advocate position?

Advocates are the volunteer foundation of our Wellness Clinic. Because the rising cost of veterinary care is one of the main reasons pets are relinquished to shelters, our low-cost Wellness Clinic serves as a way for all pet parents to get the important medical attention their pet needs. These volunteers advocate on the behalf of the pets that come into our clinic, ensuring that every pet receives all of the medical attention it needs.

Do I have the qualifications needed to become an Advocate?

The best Advocates are concerned for the wellbeing of animals and want to ensure that every pet stays with their loving families instead of being relinquished to an animal shelter. If you work effectively in a busy environment, have high situational awareness, and are able to communicate with people of various backgrounds, you will be an effective Advocate.

How much time must I commit as an Advocate?

Before volunteering, volunteers will attend a clinic orientation, then will be provided with on-the-job training with an experienced volunteer until they are able to perform the required tasks on their own. While training, volunteers should plan on being present for the whole day. Once training is complete, Advocates are expected to volunteer at least four days a month. Volunteers may work morning or afternoon shifts as they are available. Volunteers are expected to arrive 15 minutes early for staff meetings and stay until their last client is served.

Our current needs are for clinic volunteers on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00am to 4:00pm with an hour break for lunch at 12:30pm.

What are the Advocate responsibilities?

• Greet pets and pet owners and assist them with handling their pets in the lobby
• Speak with pet parent to determine the pet’s needs and owner’s budget
• Complete intake paperwork
• Brief veterinarian on the pet’s needs before accompanying the pet and pet parent in the office visit
• Listen and take notes during office exam to ensure pet parent understands all information
• Accompany owner through check out process to ensure front desk staff makes any scheduling or billing changes necessary
• Must sign Volunteer Agreement and Waiver prior to volunteering
• Must wear wine-colored scrubs and close-toed shoes (to be provided by volunteer)

Our mission. The St. Augustine Humane Society promotes healthy, responsible, lifelong pet ownership by serving the medical and rehabilitative needs of companion animals in our community. Our programs are designed to strengthen human-pet relationships and reduce the need for pets to enter shelters. Our goal is to ensure all pets have access to quality veterinary care, prevent overpopulation, and prevent animal suffering.

For more information, please visit www.staughumane.org.