Put your passion for animals into action.

Volunteers play a crucial role in our mission, and there are numerous ways you can contribute. Whether it's guiding potential pet adopters, providing support during the adoption process, or assisting staff at our Loving Spay+Neuter Clinic, your love for animals can make a significant impact on saving lives! (See descriptions of some of our volunteer roles below).
We love seeing young animal lovers eager to help! For safety reasons, our on-site volunteer opportunities are open to ages 16 and up, and volunteers must be 18 or older to work with our dogs. If your child is under 16, check out our Youth Activities Tab for fun, hands-on ways for kids to get involved with RAL.
We appreciate your understanding and patience as we review applications and assess the needs of our volunteer program. Rest assured, your passion for helping animals is valued and essential to our mission.
Please take the time to fill out our volunteer application here!
After filling out the application, if you are 16 - 17 years old, we need a parent or guardian to sign this form before your first volunteer shift.

Want to Help Save Animals?

Volunteer applications are currently paused.

Due to an overwhelming response from our community, all volunteer orientations for the remainder of 2026 are full. We are not accepting new volunteer applications at this time and will reopen applications in 2027. Please check back on this page for updates.

Other ways to help

While applications are paused, there are still plenty of ways to support the pets in our care. You can become a foster, make a donation, attend one of our upcoming events, or follow RAL on social media to share our posts and help pets find their people.

Fostering Saves Lives

Foster homes expand our physical space, allowing RAL to save more animals in need. Foster homes allow pets to decompress and socialize in a home environment, preparing them to find a best match with their new family.

MORE ABOUT FOSTERING

Volunteer Roles at RAL

At Richmond Animal League, we offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, from caring for our cats and dogs to supporting the many behind-the-scenes tasks that make our mission possible. While not every role is available year-round, we're always expanding our volunteer program and adding new opportunities. We hope you'll explore the roles below and find the one that's just right for you!

Pet Focused

  • Help keep RAL cats happy, healthy, and comfortable during their stay! Cat Crew volunteers support the daily care of our cats by cleaning kennels, providing fresh food and water, and helping with light dishes and laundry to keep the cat areas clean and welcoming.

  • Help keep RAL dogs happy, healthy, and comfortable during their stay! Dog Crew volunteers support the daily care of our dogs by walking them for exercise and enrichment, cleaning kennels, and helping maintain a clean and welcoming environment.

  • Give a shelter dog a break from the kennel and a chance to explore! Crate Escape volunteers pick up a RAL dog and take them on a 1–5 hour adventure, providing exercise, enrichment, and valuable time away from the shelter.

  • Start your Sunday morning with a shelter dog by your side! Run Club is a one-hour group opportunity where volunteers take RAL dogs on a roughly 2-mile run for exercise and enrichment.

  • Help our dogs look and feel their best! Dog Grooming volunteers assist with bathing new intakes and brushing dogs to help keep them clean and comfortable during their stay at RAL.

  • Spend quality one-on-one time with a RAL dog in one of our adoption rooms, providing enrichment, companionship, and a relaxing break from their kennel.

  • Spend one-on-one time with a RAL dog in our backyard! Volunteers help dogs burn off energy through play, exercise, and plenty of attention.

  • Put your dog-handling skills to work by helping facilitate RAL's dog socialization shifts! Coordinators guide volunteers, support safe interactions with dogs, and help socializations run smoothly.

  • Help animals get where they need to go! Transport volunteers bring animals from shelter partners to RAL and transport RAL animals to outside veterinary appointments.

Maintenance

  • Help keep RAL's outdoor spaces looking their best! Grounds Maintenance volunteers assist with lawn mowing, yard work, and other seasonal outdoor tasks to help maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our animals, visitors, and volunteers.

  • Help keep RAL clean, comfortable, and welcoming for our animals and visitors! Shelter Maintenance volunteers assist with tasks such as cleaning floors, windows, adoption rooms, and other shared spaces throughout the shelter. No bathroom cleaning is required.

Shelter Support & Admin

  • Help keep RAL organized and running smoothly behind the scenes! Shelter Support volunteers assist staff with a variety of tasks, such as organizing the Pet Pantry, preparing adoption packets, organizing binders, and helping with other projects as needed.

  • Be one of the friendly faces welcoming our community to RAL! Fur-st Responders help support our front desk by answering phones, greeting visitors, and assisting with Pet Pantry requests while helping create a positive experience for everyone who walks through our doors.

  • Help keep RAL running smoothly by tackling two of our essentials—dishes and laundry! With multiple shifts available throughout the day, volunteers help wash and organize the many dishes, towels, blankets, and other items our animals use each day.

  • Help support RAL's work behind the scenes! Development Volunteers assist our Development Team with large mailings and other projects and tasks as needed, helping us stay connected with the supporters who make our mission possible.

  • Designed for high school students completing school-required volunteer hours, Student Impact helps prepare RAL for a successful day of adoptions. Volunteers assist with deep cleaning, preparing adoption spaces, and sanitizing RAL vans as needed.

  • Looking for a flexible way to lend a hand? Power Hour volunteers respond to one-time, often last-minute requests to help with a variety of tasks around RAL.

Adoption & Promotion

  • Matchmakers help prospective adopters find the right fit by introducing them to RAL's adoptable animals and helping guide them through the process. Volunteers can serve as either Cat Matchmakers or Dog Matchmakers.

  • Help RAL's adoptable animals put their best paw forward! Pics & Bios volunteers take photos of our animals, upload them online, and write engaging bios that showcase their personalities and help them catch the eye of potential adopters.

Clinic

  • Support RAL's clinic team behind the scenes! Volunteers assist with cleaning and sterilizing surgical areas, instruments, and supplies to help keep the clinic clean and ready for procedures.

  • Help support RAL's clinic behind the scenes! Volunteers assist with phone calls, office tasks, and other administrative needs to help the clinic run smoothly.

Community & Events

  • Help inspire the next generation of animal advocates! Creative Critters volunteers assist with classes for children ages 5–14, helping them learn about animal rescue, responsible pet care, and the important work RAL does in our community.

  • Help RAL make our community events a success! Volunteers assist with event setup and breakdown, managing crowds, and may occasionally help bring RAL dogs to events.

Not able to volunteer but still want to help?

DONATE