Volunteers are an important part of our mission to give every cat a chance at a forever home. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to save as many kitty lives.

Volunteering looks great on a college application or job resume, but it’s also a great way to give back to your community.

thumbnails left to right: volunteers playing with kittens; five cats eating; a cat helping with paperwork in the shelter office; a large gathering of people at a Kitty Bingo event; several volunteers working at a table at an event

Interested in volunteering with us?

Complete and submit the Volunteer Application Form below.

Volunteer Form

We welcome and appreciate all help, but currently, we are only offering community service hours for Cat Care (which is listed in the Interest section of the Volunteer Application).

Once received, our volunteer coordinator will review your form and call you to discuss how you can help with Cat Care and other areas. If approved, the coordinator will help you schedule your first volunteering shift and text you a link that will enable you to sign up for future volunteer shifts.

Before coming to Purrfect Cat Rescue for your first volunteer shift, please print, complete, and sign the Volunteer Waiver Release Form.

Please note, if you are under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must provide written consent on the Volunteer Waiver Release Form.

Thank you for considering offering your time and efforts to Purrfect Cat Rescue and our mission to help the kittens and cats in our community!

Questions?

Please contact us via our online Contact Us form, call at (815) 900-8221, or email us at deb@purrfectcatrescue.com.

Cat Care

Cat care is one of the most important volunteer opportunities at the shelter. The health of the cats and care of the shelter is what makes us stand out in the public’s eye. Cat care shifts are every day of the week from 9 AM until noon, and Monday - Friday from 5 PM to 8 PM. Come alone or buddy up with a friend! Cleaning has never been so much fun with some kitties helping you!

Some cat care duties include:
• Scooping litter boxes
• Disinfecting surfaces
• Sweeping / mopping
• Food and water
• Laundry
• Washing dishes
• Taking the garbage out

As always, if you have any physical limitations, we are happy to work with you. Time flies when cleaning with cats! Cat care requires you to be at least 16 years of age.

Our cat care coordinator will call you to set up a shift to try.

Community Outreach

We still consider ourselves a new shelter and need help getting the word out! Community Outreach volunteers would help us advertise who we are and what we are about! Join our team and let’s tell the world we are here to rescue kitties!

Some community outreach duties include:
• Post flyers and brochures around town
• Locate local places to hang brochures / event flyers
• Manage donation bin program
• Contact local veterinarians offices for advertising

The more places we advertise the more the community knows about us and more kitties will benefit!

Our community outreach coordinator will contact you and get you started.

Crafts

This area of volunteering can vary depending on the level of your crafting / sewing ability. Whether you knit, crochet, or hand or machine sew, we’ve got something for you! We even have projects that don’t require any sewing! Many things made are used for fundraising / selling to help the cats and shelter.

Some crafting ideas include:
• Cat toys
• Blankets / quilts
• Sweater beds
• Repairing blankets and cat beds at the shelter

You will be contacted by our craft coordinator.

Events

We are always looking for smiling and fun people to help with our events. Volunteering in this area does not mean you are responsible to come up with events but just help work them.

Some of our past events include:
• Kitty Yoga
• Kitty BINGO
• Chow & Meow
• Spooks & Strays
• Pet Expo
• Metal Art Sale
• Monthly Nail Trims

Having extra hands at future events makes them run smoother and more efficiently.

Event duties could include:
• Setting up and / or taking down
• Selling tickets or products
• Welcoming or thanking guests
• Overseeing events or PR for the shelter

We are always very thankful for the help we receive at events. We couldn’t do it alone, it definitely takes a team.

Our event coordinator will contact you about upcoming events that will need help.

Fostering

This volunteer opportunity is simple to explain—the more foster homes we have, the more kitties we can rescue!

Our foster program include:
• Housing cats / kittens while they complete their medical process
• Bring kitties to vaccine appointments at the shelter
• Administer basic medications like deworming or antibiotics
• Give lots of love and attention
• Communicate their progress or issues
• Write bios for their shelter debut and Facebook posting

Our kitties stay in foster homes until they are properly vaccinated and dewormed so they can reside at the shelter safely.

Your foster home coordinator will reach out to you.

Fundraising

Some fundraising duties include:
• Help plan fundraising events
• Research online fundraising opportunities
• Find and schedule local restaurants for monthly Chow & Meow dining events
• Brainstorm new exciting fundraising ideas (submit proposal to Board of Directors)
• Recruit potential new volunteers for fundraising

There are so many opportunities out there to fundraise!

Gardening

Purrfect Cat Rescue has a great building with an awesome location. We specialize in cats, but unfortunately not gardening. We are looking to have volunteers help keep up the appearance of our landscaping and property. We have a wonderful gardening coordinator who is looking for help.

Some duties could include:
• Weeding
• Planting
• Watering
• Filling birdfeeders
• Picking up litter / garbage around the property

Remember when you are done outside, come inside and say hello to the cats!

Our gardening coordinator will call you to get started.

Vet Transport

Our main reason for assisting in this area of the shelter is that we have cats / kittens that require veterinary appointments throughout the week. This will help us continue to do our daily work while kitties are being taken to their appointments in a timely fashion.

Vet transport duties include:
• Pick up kitties from the shelter, along with any records or medical
• Bring supplies that go with their appointment and deliver them to the appropriate veterinary clinic.
*Be aware of which clinic appointment is at.*
• Stay with kitty / wait in car during the appointment (COVID protocol) until the appointment is completed
• Return kitty to shelter after appointment is completed along with any paperwork, medications, etc.
• Properly disinfect cat carrier and return to storage for future use
• Return medical paperwork to medical room to be filed
• Surgery drop-offs: local and clinic (1 hour away)
NOTE: Drop off time is 8:00 AM on the day of surgery and pick up is between 5 and 6 PM after surgery is completed. (Disinfecting carriers and and handling of medical documents also apply.)

We hope to have enough volunteers to help cover the week entirely or have a designated day for each volunteer.