Volunteer • KC Pet Project

Volunteering at KCPP

Volunteers are the heart of KC Pet Project and without their time, talents, and resources we would not be able to save the lives of over 10,000 animals each year. Whether you have a free day on the weekend or an occasional hour after work, there is a place for you at KC Pet Project. Join us today to help change an animal’s life forever.

Current KCPP Volunteers: Login to the volunteer database here to sign up for shifts, classes, and to update your information.

Volunteer Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Volunteer Program at the Kansas City Pet Project is to provide a fulfilling experience to the volunteer, and provide necessary assistance to staff at KCPP. Volunteers are one of our most valuable resources! With your commitment and assistance we will work together to make the organization successful in promoting animal welfare, providing public education, and giving shelter animals some much needed love and attention!

Some of our basic requirements for volunteers are:

Have a working email account.
Must be able to purchase a volunteer t-shirt and wear it every time you volunteer.
Must be able to commit 4 hours of time a month in the first 3 months of volunteering
Mature and respectful attitude is required while at shelter at all times.
Support the Kansas City Pet Project’s mission.
*If you are interested in completing Court Ordered Community Service, please find more information below, as that program is separate from our Volunteer Program

Volunteer Program Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Become a KCPP Volunteer?

If you are 16 years or older:

1. Watch our Volunteer Orientation Video

2. Complete our Orientation Quiz
The quiz link will be listed in the video, and will need to be typed in to your browser to access

3. Select a location to attend our Shelter Tour:
– Main Shelter (4400 Raytown Road, KCMO 64129)
– Zona Rosa (7351 NW 87th Terrace, KCMO 64153)
– 95th Petco (11620 W 95th Street, Overland Park KS 66214)

4. Select a date for the Shelter Tour. We offer multiple Shelter Tours a month. If you do not see one available at the location you are interested in, please check back!

If you are 15 years old or younger:
We love our Junior Volunteers! Our Junior Volunteers are able to assist with watering, enrichment, and various operational and sanitation tasks needed around the shelter.

Our Junior Volunteers are not able to physically handle animals themselves, but they are able to assist their parent/legal guardian in doing so. All Junior Volunteers must be accompanied by their parent/legal guardian at all times. The parent/legal guardian is responsible for following policies and procedures, attending animal-handling trainings (we always welcome our Junior Volunteers to also attend!), and ensuring the Junior Volunteer is following rules set forth by the organization. The adult to child ratio for Junior Volunteers must be 1:1 (one adult to one child).

All volunteer onboarding, and paperwork, must be completed and signed by the parent/legal guardian of the Junior Volunteer.

Contact Alyssa, Volunteer Manager at KC Pet Project if you have questions about this process:

Can My Work/School/Church Volunteer as a Group?

Yes! We would love to host your group at Kansas City Pet Project!

For more information on group volunteering, or to schedule a visit, please contact our Volunteer Manager at Alyssa.Willett@kcmo.org. Please include the type of experience you’re interested in, and the number of people in your group.

For adult groups (16 years old or older) we will schedule a tour and then split your volunteering time between light service (cleaning, laundry, special projects). We will end your visit spending time with an adoptable animal when possible!

For youth groups (7 years old to 15 years old) our opportunities vary. Please email the Volunteer Program Manager for further information. We are not able to accomodate youth groups 6 years old or younger.

Our groups are not able to walk dogs, or work one on one with cats (as this requires further training), but we do like to end group visits with a little playtime with one of our adoptable dogs when possible!

To find out more information on how to schedule your group, please email our Volunteer Program Manager!

Contact Alyssa, Volunteer Manager at KC Pet Project if you have any questions:

I Need Community Service Hours for School. Can I Complete This at KCPP?

We would love to have you join us at KC Pet Project, and it’s a bonus that your contribution to our organization will also help you get needed service hours for your school. We do not, however, offer one-time service, or drop-in volunteer opportunities. If you need to complete hours for school, we would love to help you achieve this by becoming a regular volunteer!

Please remember, we do require that volunteers are able to commit to 4 hours a month of volunteering for the first 3 months. If this is not something you can commit to, you can check out our opportunities for Group Volunteering! We love hosting High School, and College groups!

Can I Complete Court Ordered Community Service at KCPP?

Kansas City Pet Project is happy to work with members in our community who need to complete Court Ordered Community Service (CS). Our CS workers offer staff support to our Canine Care Team, and assist with sanitation and operational needs.

We only offer Court Ordered Community Service at our Main Shelter location (4400 Raytown Road, KCMO 64129), and all interested individuals need to email the Volunteer Program Manager. Please include what your charge is, how many hours you need to complete, and the date you need to complete your hours by.

**We are not able to accommodate individuals who have a felony charge, or charges related to sexual misconduct, assault, theft, or animal related offenses. We only accept Court Ordered Community Service for individuals 18 years old or older.

Contact Alyssa for more information or to schedule an appointment:

I Can't Give My Time Right Now, Can I Make a Donation?

Yes! Donations to Kansas City Pet Project help save the lives of the over 10,000 homeless animals we care for every year. You can make a monetary donation by clicking here.

You are also able to mail a donation to Kansas City Pet Project, 4400 Raytown Road, Kansas City, MO 64129, or stop by one of our 3 Adoption Centers to drop one off.

If you’d like to donate items we could use at the shelter, you can do so by visiting any of our 3 adoption centers during business hours. Not sure what to donate? You can order items straight from our Amazon Wish List and have it delivered to our doorstep, or collect donation items from our Shelter Wish List

You can also make some fun at home projects that can really make a difference for our shelter pets!