Opportunities From: Chicago Animal Care & Control / FCACC / SHC

Learn how to introduce CACC cats to potential adopters.  This hour-long workshop will give you information and tips on determining which cats would be the best match for adopters and how to convey the information that they will need for their new cat.

Volunteers are needed to help with city provided vaccine and microchip clinics at various locations around the city.

8-10 volunteers are needed to:

assist with registration, traffic/line control, and animal handling.

4-6 volunteers for registration

2-3 volunteers for crowd control

Important: Please arrive at 9:15 to help set-up.

All events are on Thursdays from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Dates and locations are listed below:

Vaccine and microchip clinic for the public.

Thursday, May 1, 2025          10a-1p               500 S. Central Ave.  

Thursday , May 22, 2025       10a-1p               2210 W. Pershing Rd.

Thursday, June 12, 2025         10a-1p              5046 S. State St.

Thursday, June 26, 2025         Cancelled

Thursday, July 24, 2025            10a-1p             607 E. Oakwood Blvd.

Thursday, August 7th, 2025      10 - 1.            6100 W. Fullerton (Riis Park)

Thursday, August 21, 2025       10a-1p           4901 S. Kilbourn Ave.   

Thursday, August 28, 2025       10a-1p            10355 S. Woodlawn Ave.

Saturday, August 30, 2025       10a-1p            1551 N. Kedzie Ave.

Thursday, September 11,         10a-1p            1401 S. Sacramento Dr.

Thursday, September 25,         10a-1p            4650 N. Pulaski Rd.

Thursday, October 16,              10a-1p            8359 S. Pulaski Rd. 

Saturday, October 25, 2025       10a-1p            1551 N. Kedzie Ave.

Spend time with the dogs in the pavilions giving them a little TLC through the bars.  You can distribute Kongs, do a little click for calm, spot clean, give treats, etc.

Daily dog walking shifts:

12:00pm - 3:00pm (8 shifts)

2:00pm - 5:00pm (8 shifts)

4:00pm - 6:00pm (8 shifts)

4:00pm - 7:00pm (8 shifts)

5:00pm - 7:00pm (10 shifts)

**12:00pm - 4:00pm on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day**

Volunteers are able to sign up for all cat opportunities daily - an overview of the shifts is listed below!

Daily

12:00 - 3:00 pm

3:00 - 5:00 pm

5:00 - 7:00 pm

Get some of our most stressed out dogs a challenging physical and mental workout! This is one of the most effective ways to help our neediest dogs maintain their sanity and get some needed physical and mental exercise - so they can find the homes they deserve!

P.S. No experience is necessary. If this is your first time, you can shadow one of our more experienced agility volunteers who have already trained with Kristina. Meet Agility Squad Volunteer Lead, Ed Wang, near the back door in the south hallway at 9:55 to get paired up with an agility volunteer mentor. Thanks!

Dog walkers and in-kennel enrichment volunteers work together to rotate dogs from a pavilion in and out of the medical runs, giving each dog a brief walk and opportunity to eliminate, stretch their legs and enjoy some fresh air and change of scenery, then engage with volunteers in interactive enrichment activities during their time in the runs. The idea is to get a whole pavilion outside in a 2 - 2 1/2 hour period while giving each dog at least 20 minutes of interaction and outside enrichment.

At least two walkers and three IKE volunteers are needed for each shift but more are welcome. 

For the enrichment component, you do not need to be a dog walking volunteer, as the interaction is in-kennel.  You will need to learn the basics of "Click for Calm".  You can attend a separate "Click for Calm" workshop when they are offered, or you can ask for some 1:1 coaching from the medical run Lead on your shift.

Typically at least one IKE volunteer will be designated a 'floater' who can remove dogs, if needed, and offer alternative enrichment for dogs who are struggling in the medical run environment.

Runners/Floaters must be active dog walking volunteers.  If you want to become a medical run enrichment lead, you should be an active participant familiar with the flow, and shadow until ready to teach and lead the enrichment activities.

Help with playgroups by running dogs back and forth from pavilions.  Dog experience is necessary.

Dog walking shift prior to the shelter opening where the dogs get extended time out.

The CACC Community Services Representative, Sarah needs 2 or 3 interested volunteers who could help out with some of the following tasks one or two hours per week (perhaps coming in early before a dog walking shift around 11a.)   

- Sorting through deliveries and incoming/outgoing donations at the shelter  

- Helping to maintain, inventory and organize the Chicago Animal Care Helpful Essentials (CACHE) storage container in the north parking lot.  

- Meeting donors at the door to help collect their items when needed. ,

One of the busiest times for adoptions at CACC is on weekdays between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 PM and on weekends between 12:00 - 4:00 PM.  This "administrative assistant" calls for someone to help control the flow of members of the public in the waiting area.  Giving out applications, helping sort out who is adopting, picking up an adopted animal, or looking for their missing animal etc., is invaluable help to the CACC Front desk staff.