Volunteer
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer support is essential to our organization. Barn Sanctuary is always looking for volunteers to help us in the shelter and at the office. Volunteering at Barn Sanctuary is a truly rewarding experience. You will have the rare and unique opportunity get to know our resident animals and participate in a cause that makes a difference.
If you choose to volunteer with our Animal Care team, you must be able to volunteer, in person, twice a month. Office volunteer opportunities can be in person or remote with no minimum hour requirements.
Current volunteers can log in here.
Sign Up
We are currently seeking in-person volunteers to help in our Shelter/Animal Care Department – especially if you have weekday availability. Please note the following before applying:
- Volunteers must be able to commit to a minimum of 2 shifts per month, for a minimum of 2 hours per shift.
- We ask that you only apply if you are truly committed and interested in volunteering. It takes a significant amount of staff/volunteer time to train new volunteers and so we ask that you invest in the service as we will invest time and energy into your training. Those are precious hours that could be spent caring for our animal residents.
- If you just want to meet the residents – but can’t commit to our minimum volunteer requirements, please check our events page and look for virtual and in-person tour opportunities. More are always being added!
- Shifts are available from 9AM-6PM Mondays through Saturdays and 10AM-6PM on Sundays.
- Volunteers MUST be 18 and older to attend alone. Volunteers 14+ are permitted but must be accompanied by a parent or caretaker.
- The volunteer tasks primarily consist of cleaning our animal residents’ living areas. This means shoveling and scooping lots of poop, scrubbing water bowls and filling them, sweeping areas, replacing bedding, and other related tasks.
- You must be comfortable with cleaning poop, carrying 25-30 lbs, and have reliable transportation.
- Failure to show up or consistently cancelling scheduled shifts can lead to termination from the program.
If you are still interested, and can commit to the minimum volunteer requirements please fill out an application here, and someone will be in touch with a calendar of orientation dates. *Note: there may be a delay in a response, and some applicants may not hear back.
I have been volunteering for different organizations in one way or another for the past 20 years or so and I never (NEVER!) felt such sincere gratitude and appreciation! I know we don’t do this work for the recognition, but hearing how much we as volunteers mean to the staff was almost overwhelming. THANK YOU for making this feel more like a family than a volunteer position, and for running a volunteer program that is truly the best I’ve ever seen!
Animal Care Volunteer Questions
Typical volunteer activities include mucking barns and coops, raking, and pasture cleaning. Other cleaning duties may include bathrooms, restocking hay/straw, cleaning/organizing areas, weeding, etc. Many of the animals will visit you while you complete your tasks but please remember that some tasks might not include much animal interaction. Volunteering is physically intensive, so expect to get a good workout!
Yes. For safety and liability purposes, all volunteers must be at least 14 years of age, no exceptions. Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17 will need parent/guardian supervision for the duration of the day.
You must be able to dedicate at least two days a month to volunteering in order to join our volunteer program. Volunteer shifts will last a minimum of two hours at least. If you are able to do more, it is always appreciated!
Please note that we are located in Chelsea, Michigan, 15 minutes west of Ann Arbor. While we will not reject volunteer applications based on location within reason, please do keep distance in mind when applying. We recommend ensuring you have reliable transportation and live within a radius that allows you to adhere to our minimum availability requirements (twice a month). Please bear in mind that we do not have available space for volunteers to stay on property.
Though we always appreciate it when people from out of town attend monthly open work days to volunteer with us, we are currently unable to offer room and board for volunteers and we are not affiliated with WWOOF.
Bring clothes and boots that are weatherproof and that you don’t mind getting muddy, and work gloves if you have them. Check the weather forecast for zip code 48118 and dress appropriately. Rugged boots (not sneakers) are a must. Don’t forget your sunglasses and sunscreen in the summer. We encourage you to pack a vegan brown bag lunch — no meat, eggs, or dairy, out of respect for the animals.
Please note that diseases occur naturally among farmed animals. We have high care standards and monitor all rescues for 30 days in quarantine before allowing outside interaction, so while the likelihood that diseases arise are low, there is still always the possibility when working around animals. And some such diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans. Pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk. Pregnant women should not handle calves, kids (baby goats) or lambs younger than four months old, or mother animals who have given birth in the previous four weeks. Volunteers working directly with animals or in areas where animals live and produce waste should wear gloves and face masks. All visitors and volunteers should practice excellent hygiene after performing such work, by thoroughly washing their hands and scrubbing the bottoms of their shoes with antibacterial agents – especially prior to touching their faces or eating. And ideally, it’s a good idea to change clothes before spending time back in your home after a visit to the sanctuary.