Needs From: United Way of Central Minnesota Volunteer Connection

Transport Drivers are individuals who help give rides to our foster animals. These rides are most often from the foster homes to the Ruff Start office in Princeton (or back) on surgery days, but can also be to partner vet clinics or to pick up a new intake or deliver an animal to a foster or adoptive home. These volunteers will use their own vehicle to transport animals in crates. When a request for a ride is submitted, our Transport Coordinators will send out an email to volunteers asking for someone to help with the ride. Once a volunteer steps up, the Transport Coordinator will send an email connecting the Transport Driver and the foster, who then coordinate a drop off/pick up time and location.

Apply to volunteer at Volunteer – Ruff Start Rescue. 

As a vetting transport lead, you will be responsible for attending animal transports (typically dogs) located at the office in Princeton. These typically happen on Saturdays and there are two a month. Professional experience is required for this role. 

The Vetting Lead is responsible for giving dogs physical exams, any vaccines that are due, inserting microchips, doing minor bloodwork if needed, and giving nail trims. There will be a vetting helper as well to assist with animal handling. The vetting lead will work to ensure all animals receive their veterinary work/exam and preventatives. There are two exam rooms during transport, and each room needs a Vetting Lead and a Vetting Helper.

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As a vetting transport helper, you will be responsible for attending animal transports (typically dogs) located at the office in Princeton. These typically happen on Saturdays. Professional experience is required for this role.

At the transport, you will be responsible for ensuring that the animals coming into the rescue are examined, perform any needed services, and the proper documentation is recorded. This may include vaccines, microchipping, heartworm tests, nail trims, deworming, flea/tick preventative application, administering heartworm medication, or other treatments as indicated. The role of the vetting transport helper will provide support for the Vetting Transport Lead in all the indicated tasks.

Cat Caretakers help provide care for the cats staying at the Ruff Start Rescue office in Princeton. Cat Caretakers feed the cats, clean their litter boxes, change their bedding, spot clean their rooms/condos, and brush and play with the cats.  The number of cats at the office varies, often ranging from just a few to upwards of 10 or so.

Office Transport Volunteers are responsible for helping the transport lead to ensure a smooth transport of dogs coming from TX. You are required to be at the transport you volunteer for to help set up, tear down, ensure dogs go through vetting/pictures, are fitted for collars/harnesses and welcome new fosters and FTAs. You are working together with other volunteers and leads to make sure all the dogs are handled appropriately. You are representing Ruff Start Rescue and we expect you will be approachable, professional and helpful.

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The Owner Surrender Coordinator is responsible for working with local families who need to surrender their animal to Ruff Start Rescue. Whoever takes this role will need more than just a basic knowledge of animal behavior - they need to be able to read between the lines and feel comfortable asking thoughtful, sometimes probing questions to fully understand the pet and the situation. The goal is to ensure we’re bringing appropriate animals into the program - ones that we can realistically support and set up for success in their new forever home. The OS Coordinator works through the entire process of bringing an animal into the rescue. Beginning with collecting information from the surrenderer (images, vet records, etc.), networking the animal in the private RSR Animals Needing Fosters Page, and getting foster commitment. You also may be asked for help coordinating the transfer of the animal into the rescue as well. Once the animal is with their foster, work with an Intake Admin to add them to the website and notify vetting and intake of the new addition. There can be a lot of back and forth in the role so daily check-ins to your RSR email are required.

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The Intake Assistant is an administrative position responsible for supporting the intake team by replying to emails, returning voicemails, and assisting with other tasks the intake department may need help with. This role is designed to help with “traffic control” for the intake department (impound, owner surrender, reservation, stray, out of state, etc.). As people reach out to the rescue, you will assess the information and pass it along to the appropriate team within intake if needed. Most responses will include sharing resources and information using provided email templates to help guide people needing assistance with their animals.

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Ruff Start Rescue received many donations of animal supplies, even on a daily basis. The In-Kind Donation Recorder is responsible for accurately recording all in-kind donations into our tracking spreadsheet. This role ensures that every donation is documented for internal records, reporting, and donor acknowledgment. If you’re detail-oriented, comfortable with spreadsheets, and want to support animal rescue in a behind-the-scenes way, this is the role for you!

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As a Merchandise Inventory Assistant, you’ll play a key role in helping our team maintain accurate inventory records for our merchandise program. This quarterly role supports the organization by ensuring our stock levels are up-to-date, helping us plan future orders, and keeping our online and in-person store running smoothly.

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Videographer volunteers help the RSR communications team by taking videos of adoptable RSR animals for promotional use and may also help by recording video at large-scale events. Previous work with animals is a plus but is not required. We are able to provide some lighting, stand, and background equipment - but not a camera. Time commitment is based on project commitments. This happens at the office in Princeton, MN and events throughout the state.

Interested in Becoming a Foster?

Foster care is the most important part of Ruff Start Rescue. The animals depend on qualified people to join our team. RSR is looking for fosters to open their hearts and homes to animals in need and care for them until they are adopted. An RSR fosters responsibility is to love, feed, play and exercise, and provide social interaction for the foster animal. You are also required to take the animal to vet appointments and handle any medical tasks such as giving daily medications. It will always involve treating the animal as if it were your own. It’s easy to get started! The first step is to fill out and submit a foster application at: https://ruffstartrescue.org/get-involved/foster/ After RSR receives and reviews your application a home visit will be scheduled so you can meet someone from the rescue and discuss your questions and concerns about fostering an RSR animal. If everything goes well you will be able to begin your new role as an RSR foster.  

All Ruff Start Rescue Fosters MUST:

**There are always animals that need a loving foster home and we will work with you to determine the ones that will best fit with your lifestyle. **

Questions about becoming a foster?  Feel free to email us at:  foster@ruffstartrescue.org

Ruff Start Rescue Office Assistants help with various tasks at the Ruff Start Rescue office, such as filing documents, general organizing, receiving deliveries, recording donations, greeting visitors at the office, and other ad hoc tasks as needed. The amount and type of tasks needed around the office can vary from day to day.

Shifts are available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 10-4:00. Shifts are 2 hours each.

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Ruff Start Rescue Office Assistants help with various tasks at the Ruff Start Rescue office. This position more specifically helps in the transport room. Tasks for this position will include recording donated supplies, sorting and putting away donated supplies, bringing materials from the storage unit to
the transport room to restock as needed, maintaining a clean space in the transport room, and assisting with other specialty projects as you are able. The amount and type of tasks needed around the office can vary from day to day.

Shifts are available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 10-4:00. Shifts are 2 hours each.

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We have an exciting new opportunity at Ruff Start Rescue for young professionals! We are thrilled to introduce the Young Professionals Board to our robust list of involvement opportunities!

This dynamic group of Minnesota changemakers will be an ambitious and fun community of up-and-coming young professionals who engage in networking, socializing, volunteering, and fundraising to expand RSR's mission and reach. Ruff Start's Young Professionals Board will assist with outreach and fundraising efforts throughout a one-year term while learning about and advocating for our community's people and pets.

If you or a young professional you know wants to get involved in the RSR community, expand professional networks, and develop leadership potential, this is the opportunity for you! Please share with your family, friends, and professional networks.

This is a one-year year commitment. 

Check out the website to learn more: Young Professionals Board - Ruff Start Rescue 

Cat Snugglers help provide companionship for the cats staying at the Ruff Start Rescue office in Princeton. Spending time with the office cats helps with socializing them and decreases their stress.  The number of cats at the office varies, often ranging from just a few to upwards of 10.

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Event volunteers are an important part of our events team! RSR has events nearly every week that rely on volunteers to make them successful. Responsibilities may include: talking to the public about RSR and answering questions about volunteer opportunities and fostering, setting up an information table with marketing materials, selling merchandise, and running our fundraising ‘prize wheel’ where guests make a donation to spin the wheel and win a prize.
 
Time Commitment: Events usually occur on weeknights or weekends and are generally 2-3 hours long plus set up/tear down of the event table. You must be able to arrive 15 minutes before the event’s published start time to ensure you have time to set up the table and welcome fosters. 
 
Location: Varies at various partner vendors like pet supply stores, breweries, restaurants and other community businesses.
 
Reports to: Event Lead, Adoption Day Event Coordinator or Community Events Coordinator
 
Responsibilities:
Event set up/tear down
Greet and assist fosters
Greet and assist the public, answer questions
Sell merchandise
Other duties as needed based on type of event
 
Qualifications: 
Must be 16+
Minors aged 16-17 must have a signed consent form on file and may not volunteer at brewery/winery events
Reliable transportation to events
Ability to work courteously and cooperatively with all members of RSR and the public
Strong interpersonal skills
Well organized
Ability to take initiative and work with minimal supervision at times

Photographer volunteers help the RSR communications team by taking photos of adoptable RSR animals during photoshoots at transports. These shifts are on Saturdays at the Rescue in Princeton, MN. There is no minimum commitment.

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Foster Coordinators are responsible for approving and setting up new foster and foster to adopt homes throughout MN. They will process incoming foster applications in a timely manner and connect them with the applicable Foster Manager, if applicable, once training is complete. This will include daily emails and follow-up phone calls. The Foster Coordinator will ensure that the new foster has completed all steps of the training and acknowledged all forms needed. The Foster Coordinator will also make sure the new foster has all the information on fostering and knows who to go to with questions. The expectation is to work a minimum of two new foster applications per week, or as needed.

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