I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter ...
the castoffs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread,
sadness and betrayal, and I was angry.
I said "God, this is terrible. Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment and then spoke softly.
"I have done something," was the reply. " I created you!"

~Jim Willis

Are you interested in volunteering? CPAA has many areas from which you can choose. We need responsible, committed volunteers who are willing to help plan, organize, and participate in events and fundraisers ... volunteers to share their ideas and talents ... volunteers who truly love and care about the well-being of animals in need. As a volunteer, you can make a difference in the lives of homeless and unwanted animals. If you would like to be a part of the CPAA volunteer team please contact our Volunteer Coordinator and let us know which areas you're most interested in helping with.

Volunteer Opportunities

Adopt-a-thons

Assist our member organizations in transporting animals to adoption events, or get to know the pets available for adoption and give information to the public on the pets. You can offer to walk the dogs at the events or help with paperwork. This requires only a few hours per month.

Cat Volunteer

Are you the type of person who loves the silliness of kittens or the pleasure of a warm lap from a napping cat? If so, you may be right for helping CPAA member organizations socialize and care for cats and kittens in their adoption programs. Playing with the kitties is a great benefit to helping with basic care such as cleaning litter boxes, washing blankets, and dispensing food.

De-Sex in the City and TNR Clinics

The importance of spay/neuter cannot be stressed enough and a very important way to see that this happens is through CPAA's De-Sex in the City program and TNR program sponsored by CPAA and member rescues. These clinics require a lot of volunteer power to be successful. We need people to transport animals to and from the clinics, as well as basic animal caregivers who may help clean ears, apply flea preventive, or offer their training in the animal medical field. These clinics offer a unique perspective on the plight of the stray, feral, or abandoned animals. This is hard work, but extremely satisfying!

Dog Volunteer

Are you a "dog person?" If so, you might be interested in providing shelter/rescue dogs with love, companionship, attention, exercise, and training. You can walk and socialize the dogs or teach basic obedience skills that will help the dogs find a home more quickly and stand them in good stead throughout their life.

Compassion with Fashion Fundraiser

This is our largest fundraiser of the year, held at the West Shore Country Club. Adoptable animals from our member rescues are featured in a fashion show with models from our local rescue partners and members of the community. We always need help staffing the event, gathering donations, dog-sitting the canine models, and setting up the hall.

Foster Parenting

Open your home and heart to an animal that needs a place to live and learn until they can be placed in a permanent loving home. Being a foster parent isn't always easy. Taking animals into your home, loving them, and then letting them go requires a very particular kind of ability. Every day, animals don't make it into a new home simply because there isn't room in shelters or rescues to take them all. Foster homes offer a vital alternative to a sad situation.

Grooming

Do you have the skill to groom animals? Would you like to help give an animal the "extra" appeal they may need to find a forever home? Whether you can offer to perform regular brushing and washing, or a complete grooming, CPAA would welcome your help!

Home Visits

Help CPAA member organizations complete a step in the adoption process by completing home visits. You get to meet people interested in adopting an animal and make sure the adoptable animals will be placed in secure and loving homes.

Home for the Holidays

This event is held each year in December at the Harrisburg Hilton, and includes a silent auction, raffle baskets, dinner, and concert. We usually need help gathering donations, setting up the hall, greeting the guests, and staffing the auction tables.

Hounds of Prison Education (HOPE) Program

The HOPE Program works with the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill to provide temporary foster care and intensive training for homeless dogs from our network of rescue partners. This is a wonderful program that thrives on volunteer support for "Meet and Greet" events in the community, as well as supplemental training exercises for the dogs participating in the program..

Woofstock

This event is our largest adoption and awareness event, and involves many volunteers with a wide variety of skills and talents. Our needs are extensive -- from advertising to fundraising -- to letter campaigns to graphic design -- and much, much more. This event takes place in late September and we would love to have your help.

Other

Do you have special skills, talents, or hobbies not listed above? Do you sew? Bake? Write? Contact us, and we'll find a way to put your talents to good use!!