Volunteer Opportunities | Save Our Scruff Canada

CURRENT OPENINGS

Casual Event Team volunteers

Are you interested in contributing to the SOS community, but feel a Core Team position doesn't align with your current availability?  The Event Team is looking for 'Casual Event Volunteers'! Events are a key component when it comes to fundraising, raising awareness across Southern Ontario & connecting with our communities.

To join this database please complete THIS LINK. 

Lauren Pattison, Save Our Scruff's Event Manager will send out opportunities via email as they arise. There is no obligation - simply reply if you wish to attend and help out!

INTAKE TEAM LEAD

We’re looking for an intake team lead whose responsibilities will be focused on leading the on-site intake team, which includes on-site coordinators and customs assistants. You will be leading a group of folks with different experience levels through a super exciting part of the dog’s journey! You may also be processing customs paperwork, transporting a dog to their foster or adoptive home, collecting vetting information and/or problem solving in unique situations.

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Time Commitment: 4-6 hours/week, with the potential for more during busy periods, with a 1 year commitment

Role Overview: Your responsibilities will be focused on leading the on-site intake team, which includes on-site coordinators and customs assistants. This team of volunteers supports the on-site intake of dogs at Pearson airport, which includes clearing dogs through customs, and getting them safely from the airport to their foster or adoptive homes. You will be leading a group of folks with different experience levels through a super exciting part of the dog’s journey! You may also be processing customs paperwork, transporting a dog to their foster or adoptive home, collecting vetting information and/or problem solving in unique situations.

Other responsibilities may include:

  • Processing expenses (airport customs fees, parking, supplies)
  • Coordinating with transport and supply teams when required
  • Booking dogs on flights
  • Acting as backup and support for the Intake Manager

Requirements:

  • Vehicle & valid driver’s license mandatory
  • Highly organized, with great communication skills
  • Self motivated
  • Confidence with coordinating a group of individuals (fosters, transporters, adopters, SOS volunteers) at intakes. This may be in-person or virtually over a WhatsApp/Facebook messenger chat
  • Ability to be on-site for intakes when needed (note, most intakes happen at Pearson airport)
  • Flexible schedule - okay with early mornings and the odd late night
  • Experience and confidence with handling dogs
  • Comfortable using WhatsApp and Facebook messenger on your own personal cell phone

Action Required: If interested, please fill in our application form to move forward with next steps and tell us why you think you’d make a great fit! We also recommend attaching a resume, because, why not?!

TORONTO MERCHANDISE PICK-UP HUB

We're looking for help hosting a Toronto pick-up spot for merch orders from our shop! All of our merchandise is kept and packaged in Mississauga. In order to help people save on shipping, and also to promote more orders, we have pick up locations throughout the GTA where people can pick up from such as Burlington, Oakville, North York, etc. Map below with area we are looking for help within!

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We're looking for someone to help us host a Toronto pick up spot without the red box on this map, ideally In the centre of it.

Toronto Merch Map

Reponsibilities include:

  • Picking up orders from Lakeview Animal Hospital or Clarkson area 2-4 times a month. Weekly is ideal especially around holidays, bi-weekly in some cases work, especially for slower months. Usually 1-5 orders a week, more in Nov-Dec.
  • Replying to an email connecting you with the customer to arrange their PU time. Depending on your situation, that could be a porch pick up or hand off.
  • Having a car and porch are ideal for the tasks mentioned above.

Action Required: If interested, please fill in our application form to move forward with next steps and tell us why you think you’d make a great fit! We also recommend attaching a resume, because, why not?!

SUPPLY ASSISTANT (NORTH YORK)

Do you live in or nearby North York? Do you have a flexible day schedule between 9AM-4PM? Are you totally into supporting SOS’s mission? The role of the volunteer Supply Assistant supports all three! 

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Time Commitment: 1-2 days per week for a few hours, with a 1 year commitment

Role Overview: Perform supply and inventory tasks directly supporting the Supply Lead

Do you live in or nearby North York? Do you have a flexible day schedule between 9AM-4PM? Are you totally into supporting SOS’s mission? The role of the volunteer Supply Assistant supports all three!

SOS is looking for a certain someone with a flexible enough schedule that would allow for them to respond promptly in the North York area. In this role, you will be directly supporting the Supply Team when supplies are needed at the container for pickup and or organization. Typically duties are identified with notice, so you can fit them into your weekly schedule. Some ad-hoc requests may come through as well. This role can include heavy lifting and unfortunately working with items that need cleaning or tossing (although we ask all donations to be cleaned ahead of time).

General Skills:

  • Strong organizational & communication skills
  • Task oriented
  • Independent as well as team oriented
  • General Labour (sorting, organizing, lifting, moving)

In order to apply for this position, you will need access to drive to our supply warehouse in North York and have a flexible day schedule.

Bonus points if you:

  • Are Marie Kondo
  • Have a friend or family member that may be interested in helping you at times

Action Required: If interested, please fill in our application form to move forward with next steps and tell us why you think you’d make a great fit! We also recommend attaching a resume, because, why not?!

TRANSPORT VOLUNTEER

Transport volunteers play a huge part in the success of SOS and our ability to support dogs in need. Transporters have the important, and very flexible, role of escorting rescue dogs and their supplies from point A to point B. Having a vehicle (large or small, clean or covered in dog hair!) is super important and a necessary part of being a Transport Volunteer. Think this sounds like something you are interested in?

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Time Commitment: Completely up to you! The awesome part of being a Transport Volunteer is you will receive requests for transport needs via email – if it works for you sign on up! If not, all good, maybe the next one will.

Role Overview: Work with the SOS team to safely transport rescue dogs from Pearson Airport, vetting appointments in Mississauga or foster home transfers throughout Toronto, Burlington, Hamilton, Guelph, Mississauga and many other Southern ON locations like King City, Kitchener/Waterloo, Owen Sound, Kawarthas… we're all over.

In this role you’ll be required to use your car/truck/van to transport dogs and/or supplies such as crates, to where they need to go! We want to make sure transporting goes as smoothly as possible (for the dogs AND you) so we’re definitely looking for someone that knows a thing or two about responsibility and clear communication. Our top priority is safety, so you’ll need to be able to secure dogs in your vehicle as you transport them (we will show you how!) This role can require contact (your choice dependent on comfort/task sign ups) with our sweet (and some times nervous) scruffs so you’ll need to be comfortable handing dogs. No surprise there! If you’ve got some extra time and energy and think this role is right for you, please sign up! Oh and you get to join a community of SOS Transport Volunteers! All new transporters will go through a 30 minute online training session where you can also ask any questions you have.

General Skills:

  • Communication, responsible and reliable
  • Car with climate control and a valid driver’s license
  • Bonus points if you have previous experience calmly meeting and support dogs

Bonus points if you have:

  • If you have a large vehicle! You're a rare commodity
  • Like late night or early morning transports... our airport visits are usually for night owls or early birds
  • Travel through Mississauga often (Cawthra exit). That is one of our main hubs for supplies as well as our vet office for all the scruffs
  • Are in North York often – supply pick up/drop offs are often at our North York storage containers

become a sos foster

Do you want to help a dog in need but can only commit short-term? Foster a dog! It isn't the easiest thing you'll ever sign up to do and requires lots of time and patience, but it is a very rewarding process and you’ll give a dog a fresh start at life.