The Kitties Need You
Volunteer
The 4Paws Rescue Team operates with an all-volunteer work force. To become a 4Paws volunteer, fill out this volunteer contract. The number of feline lives we can save is directly related to the generosity of those who give their time to our cause.
Different volunteer activities require varying degrees of commitment, ranging from 30-minutes per week to in-home foster care.
To stay update on urgent volunteer requests, follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our volunteer email newsletter.
Types of Volunteers
Volunteer Coordinators
We are urgently looking for volunteers to dedicate a couple of hours a week to help coordinate our volunteer and foster community. Email [email protected] if you are interested.
Foster Homes
Foster homes offer temporary housing for cats and kittens. 4Paws pays for pre-authorized vet services. Fosters provide food, shelter, and love. Fosters transport their wards to and from adoption fairs, usually held 2x month in Northern Virginia Petco stores. The time commitment varies from a few weeks to a couple of months depending upon the volunteer’s availability.
Adoption Fair Set-Up
Volunteers are needed to help set up cages for adoption fairs. For Petco Fairfax the setup takes place the Friday night before a show and lasts approximately one hour. Other locations vary.
Due to Petco’s store policy, adoption fair assistants must be at least 18 years of age.
Cat Transport
Volunteers are needed to transport cats for a variety of reasons. Sometimes cats need transportation from a store to the vet; other times they need to be moved from one Petco store to another. Requests are usually flexible to fit the volunteer’s schedule. Most frequent need for transportation is on the weekend and during the day on weekdays. Please fill out this form become a cat transport volunteer.
Barn Cat Adopters
Some sweet, but shy, city cats have few options for a decent life. They are perfect for a warm barn in the country!
Contact us if you have or know of a barn for some of these cats. We deliver these diligent mouser cats (altered and vaccinated) and provide advice on integrating them into barn life. Your new barn cats will earn their keep by helping to control the rodent population, and you’ll be saving a feline life (or two!).
Barn Cat Volunteers
We need volunteers for 1-2 hours a week to help with the following:
– Receive feral cats from shelter, transfer them into human traps, and schedule spay/neuter appointments.
-Reclaim barn cats turned into public shelter facilities and house temporarily
– Coordinate transport them to/from clinic
– Find appropriate barn homes for relocation
– Screen barn cat applicants
– Pickup supplies for placements
– Pick cages up and retune to Fairfax City Storage
– Transport cats and supplies to new homes and set up
– Follow ups and support/troubleshooting