Become a Volunteer

Volunteer for OTAT PDX

We rely on volunteers and individual animal lovers to care for and help spread the word on our dogs in need.

To do your part to save a life, fill out the form below!

Please be 21 years or older to volunteer with us.

Volunteer Teams & Skills

  • We regularly need volunteers to hang out with dogs at our Adoption Center during daily volunteer shifts. During these shifts you help look after the dogs at the Adoption Center that day, which will include taking them on walks, playing with them, comforting them, and just generally keeping them happy and safe. Our foster homes also sometimes need help getting their foster dogs some extra exercise, so there are off-site opportunities to help with dogs, too. Sign-up for both the ‘Dog Handling at our Facility’ and ‘Dog Walking and/or Running Team’ for hands-on volunteer time with our dogs.

  • If you have a car and always thought being a Lyft driver (but for dogs) might be fun, then this is the team for you! Our dogs often need transport to the vet, events, and more. So if you’ve got four wheels and are open to a dog as your co-pilot, sign-up for the Dog Transport team.

  • Are you the person who can’t help but get into conversations with strangers at the coffee shop about dog rescue? Then the event team will be your jam! This crew staffs OTAT’s public events, answering questions about OTAT, selling merchandise, and hanging out with adoptable dogs. Sign-up for this team to take part in the most fun events in Portland.

  • You know the best caterers in town, have connections at all of the event venues, and love a good seating chart: the Event Planning team is for you! OTAT puts on several fundraising events throughout the year, all run by volunteers. If you’re a backstage guru, the event planning team is for you.

  • Did you sell the most wrapping paper in your school fundraiser? The most cookies in your troop? Then the Fundraising team is for you! Sign-up to help OTAT create new fundraising opportunities and collaborate with the team on our yearly silent auction.

  • Is Graphic Design your passion? Calling professional graphic designers and artists! Did you doodle puppies all over your notebooks during math? Then this is the team for you! Graphic designers are needed to help with event signage, merchandise designs, social media posts, and more.

  • If your handwriting is always getting compliments and your parents never had to remind you to send a thank you card for that birthday gift: the Gratitude team is for you. Help us thank all the awesome humans who support OTAT’s work by joining this team today.

  • If you were more interested in styling your stuffed dog’s hair than Barbie’s, then this is the team for you! Foster dogs will often need nail trims and hair cuts. If you have dog grooming experience, sign-up for this team to pamper foster dogs and help them lead their best lives.

  • All right shutter-bugs, these dogs are ready for their close-ups! Helping foster pups put their best paw forward in photos for the adoptable page of the website, event photography, and videos that highlight programming are some of the volunteer opportunities for this team.

  • Do you love cleaning out your closet and organizing cabinets? This is the team for you! Our supplies & donations team helps sort & organize supplies at our adoption center, may help deliver supplies to fosters, and also may be tasked with helping solicit, pick up, or distribute donations.

  • You’re the go-to IT person in your house, you know your pixels from your microns, and tackling bugs is kind of your thing — the web team needs you! Periodic updates to our website along with some troubleshooting is needed on a semi-regular basis. Experience with Squarespace a plus.

  • Beyond what you want to do, tell us what you’re really good at. If you’re willing to donate some time putting your expertise or special skills to work for the dogs, check those boxes to let us know what you can contribute!

    We are currently especially in need of volunteers with vet med backgrounds & expertise to help with medical recordkeeping, helping hands on wellness exam days, and more - but any and all special skills are needed!

Put on an event, hold a donation drive or spread awareness!

We are open to YOUR ideas to help our dogs! Email us at volunteers@otatpdx.org with questions or ideas.

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