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How to Format an Animal Shelter Volunteer Resume
You can use one of three formats to write an animal shelter resume - the chronological, hybrid and functional resume. Usually, we recommend the chronological resume if you have over 10 years of steady volunteer experience; use a hybrid format if you have between three to nine years of experience, or a functional resume if you have less than two years of experience, recently changed careers, or are returning to work after an extended leave.
As a volunteer, however, you have some freedom in formatting your resume. Take Candidate A, for instance. This candidate is a recent graduate with over seven years of part-time volunteer experience; they use a work history-based format.
As you see in Candidate B, you can also use a functional resume to describe your accomplishments and skills based on regular shelter tasks such as pet care and safe transportation. This type of resume lets you create multiple skills sections to demonstrate additional skills such as veterinarian knowledge, successful foster stories or multilingual skills that help you coordinate adoptions among diverse families.
1. Candidate A - Hybrid Resume
Candidate Info
- 7 years of experience
- 2 years at this job
- HS High School Diploma
Work History
Animal Shelter Volunteer, Roar Cat Cafe
May 2022 - current, Oakland, CA
- Load crated animals on a company van for transport.
- Drive animals in a van to and from the Spay/Neuter Center and veterinarian.
- Assist with crate cleanup, laundry and dishes when needed.
2. Candidate B - Functional Resume
Candidate Info
- 7 years of experience
- 2 years at this job
- HS High School Diploma
Professional Skills
Animal Transportation
- Load and unload rescue pets for transport.
- Drive pets to and from the spay/neuter center, veterinarian and foster homes.
- Provide companionship and enrichment to stressed pets during and after transport.
Pet Care
- Take three to five dogs on daily walks to maintain health.
- Transport pets and supplies to foster homes to help socialize recent rescues.
- Help clean animal sleeping areas, playpens, laundry and dishes.
Animal Shelter Volunteer Resume Samples
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Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Textile Development And Marketing
International Trade And Marketing
Animal Shelter Volunteer Coordinator
Supplied food, water and personal care to sheltered animals.
- Monitored and observed animals for signs of illness or injury and reported symptoms to supervisor.
- Made certain the organization performed activities as per the regulations laid by the animal welfare laws
- Evaluated animals behavior and created paper and online profiles for potential adopters
- Assisted the public in claiming lost animals and selecting pets for adoption.
- Collected and recorded fees, such as license, impound board and adoption.
- Helped develop training program for all volunteers
- Created informative materials for foster pet parents and permanent pet parents.
- Coordinated with other rescue and foster agencies to establish and maintain relationships.
Candidate Info
months in workforce
months at this job
Pre-veterinary Science
Animal Shelter Volunteer
Shelter the abandoned or ailing animals and provide them with food and companionship
- Care for the animals kept at the shelter by feeding and giving them baths, taking them for walks or playing with them
- Assist in cleaning and sanitizing all cages/kennels on a daily basis
- Perform other duties as assigned
Candidate Info
years in workforce
year at this job
Biology
Animal Shelter Volunteer
Provided animal care, dog walking, cat and dog bathing
- Kennel cleaning and laundry
- Work with a set of families to provide child care on an as needed basis
- Supervise 2-3 children of various ages
- Provide meals, supervised play, bed time preparation and other assistance as needed
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
American Sign Language
Interdisiplinary Studies
Animal Shelter Volunteer
- Provide Front Desk clerical support to staff by organizing and filing animal records and answering phones.
- Demonstrate friendly customer service by answering customer inquiries.
- Assist in preparing paperwork and record keeping and pulling up records from database when requested.
- Perform daily maintenance and keep animals' food, water and linens fresh.
- Provide compassion and care to the animals and apply the shelter's policies to appropriately report injuries or hazards to animals and the public.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Veterinary Technology
Riverside Animal Shelter Volunteer
Supply animals with food, water, and personal care.
- Exercise animals or provide them with companionship.
- Observe animal's physical conditions to detect illness or unhealthy conditions
- Ability to handle difficult customers in a calm and professional manner
- A positive, energetic, and uplifting personality during any situation
- Experience with dogs, cat, horses, mules, pigs, goats, small animals, etc.
- Proficient with MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PhotoShop
- Proficient in AVImark
- Experience with computer programming; C++, MatLab
Candidate Info
months in workforce
months at this job
High School Diploma
Animal Shelter Volunteer
Walked dogs that didn't have much of a chance at adoption.
- Walked dogs that looked like they had been in their kennels for a long period of time.
- Made sure each dog had water in their kennels.
- Played with puppies in a small yard.
- Reinforced good behavior with treats.
- Played with cats that were up for adoption.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Animal Science/pre-veterinary Science
Animal Shelter Volunteer
Assisted in maintenance of facility and animals
- Socialized cats to get them ready for a home
- Walked and trained dogs
- Ensured safe and loving home for animals
Candidate Info
year in workforce
months at this job
Arts And Sciences
Animal Shelter Volunteer
- Oversee various aspects of animal care, including cleanliness, exercise and grooming
- Help prepare animals for successful adoptions
- Personally obtain donations for shelter, including financial contributions and supplies
Candidate Info
months in workforce
months at this job
Animal Shelter Volunteer
Cleaned Cat boxes
- Swept and cleaned the floors
- Fed the cats
- Supervised customers on handling the animals
- Gave attention to the abandoned animals
- Helped any new volunteers
- Helped settle in new rescues
Candidate Info
months in workforce
months at this job
Accounting
Tuscaloosa Animal Shelter Volunteer
- Cared for basic needs (water, food, play, etc.) for dogs in the shelter
- Bathed and cleaned puppies in preparation for adoption
- Helped potential animal adopter through the adoption process
Candidate Info
months in workforce
months at this job
Theatre Arts And History
Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts
Animal Shelter Volunteer
- Informed the public about shelter conditions and animals.
- Spoke with visitors about pet adoption.
- Maintained a clean and safe environment for animals and people.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
year at this job
Animal Shelter Volunteer
- Cleaning kennels and outdoor runs
- Disease control
- Replenishing bedding
- Maintaining litter boxes
- Taking dogs for walks outside of adoption center
More Animal Shelter Volunteer
Resumes
Animal Shelter Volunteer Resume Success Stories
Animal Shelter Volunteer Resume FAQ
How do you describe volunteer animal shelters on a resume?
Describe your hands-on knowledge or experience working with animals and shelters.
- Maintaining shelter animals' sleeping, feeding and grooming areas.
- Overseeing pet meet-and-greet sessions with potential adopters.
- Delivering pets to foster or permanent homes as needed.
- Number of pets you help support.
- Types of pets you help support.
What skills do you need to be an animal shelter volunteer?
A compelling animal shelter should hold the following intersocial and technical skills to help support both adoptive pets and colleagues.
Technical skills:
- Cleanliness
- Measure food and water
- Physical stamina
- Driving license
Soft skills:
- Affection for animals
- Attention to animal body language
- Customer service
- Time management
