Volunteer's Frequently Asked Questions (Dog Ver.)

• Slip on leash
• Regular leash with metal clip (for advance dot colors another leash with a carabiner)
• Poop bags 
• Treats of various reward value (kibble, hot dogs, small cheese cubes, and duck/beef jerky (soft), lamb rolls, milk bones, etc.)
• Treat pouch
• A harness from the shelter if the dog needs one. 
• Toy of some sort if the notes states a need.

There are sometimes treats at the shelter, but some volunteers bring their own so its easier to get to shelter and walk dogs instead of looking around to fill a treat pouch. 

In the 100/200 kennel area, you want to have two people, one in the outside of the kennel and one inside to distract the dog and separate them. Or both people go in and each take one dog to separate and exit with the dog you want to walk.  Play Group (PG) team has this down very well (Sign up for this to get an guided experience). *Treat tosses are prohibited due to high chance of dog fights for the food and injuries occurring. 

Email the Animal.Behavior@austintexas.gov and follow up with volunteer coordinators in 48 hours if no reply occurs. You could also fill out a Dog observation form (link in volunteer resources), but currently there isn't a specific portion that allows you to identify this dog as a play group candidate or for retest. 

https://www.austintexas.gov/department/volunteer-animal-center ; Click on Apply to Become an Individual Volunteer! and fill out the form.  You do not need to be a volunteer to foster a dog. You'll then be prompted to go through background check and processing as a city volunteer. This can take a few days to 3 weeks depending on capacity. The next steps as of July 2023 is to attend your first orientation (sign up on vlogistics), afterwards sign up to shelter training and mentorships. You'll log your hours and get the safety training you need to advance from green dot dogs to blue/purple to orange/yellow. *If you have any issues during this process, please email us so we can help advocate for your application. 

• Dog Adoption Ambassadors: Help adopters find the right dog for their family. 
• Dog Enrichment Volunteer / Play Group Volunteer 
• Front Desk Greeters 
• Kitchen / Laundry service - Refill enrichment treats / wash items needed at the shelter
• Restock the real life room
• Medical Assistant - prepare and help pre/post operations for animals or in the ICU
• Outreach Volunteer: Represent AAC at community events
• Media Team: Help take photos and upload bios

Treats are great to keep a dog’s attention and reward them for good behavior. It is highly recommended you bring some treats to help train as you walk the dogs. There are treats at the shelter but you never know what you're going to get. 

Mid day volunteers are always needed, especially during M-F. Its always helpful to partner up with other volunteers so as to not be overwhelmed. The pups are just happy you're there for them. 

Friends and Families can only come during opening hours to the public. They can be with you but only walk green dot dogs. 

Leash biting could mean a couple of things, the dog is stressed because of a situation, the dog is over aroused from seeing you or getting to go on the walk, or they are trying to be playful during a time where the handler wants to walk. While at the shelter, we use treat tosses (one after another until the dog continues to walk without leash biting) and distractions with toys to avoid stop the behavior. Ensure you give slack to the leash so it doesn't promote a tug of war like play. It is good to note what caused the behavior so next time you can avoid it or start treat tosses to prevent the start of one.  

Medical forms are located in each kennel run, small dog rooms, and cat rooms. Additional forms are located in the volunteer office or front desk staff can assist. If you find diarrhea, you'll have to get a small sample in a poop bag or medical stick for vet services. If you sense any urgency, please reach out to local staff prior to filling out the form. Forms are drop off at the staff door entrance by the bathrooms (left back side facing away from main doors) 

You sign up at https://www.austintexas.gov/department/foster-pet ; Review the list of dogs in need https://trello.com/b/5uDfx2hm/aac-adult-dog-foster-needs-board or request a specific dog you've interacted with. The Facebook group is very helpful if you have specific criteria for the dog. If you don't hear back within 48 hours, please let us know and we will try to expedite the process. 

On our Volunteer Resources Page  there is a pdf manual for fostering, Please read. Below are general helpful guidelines: 

• Read the full chameleon notes for the dog before taking out and had at least 1 introduction / interaction dog and with volunteers that have a relationship with the dog at the shelter. Ask for a small bag of shelter food for a week so you can slowly adjust the food and avoid tummy problems. Double check to ensure you have all the meds you need for the dog from the shelter vet services.
• Dot color of the dog does not indicate what you can foster. The higher the difficulty, the more support you would get. Example-  Orange Dot dog, then the Orange Dot team will have their own process and give you the full support you need + materials + training. You do not need to be an Orange Dot Volunteer to foster an Orange Dot dog. 
• Supplies must haves - Dog food, high and low value treats, water bowl, food bowl/puzzle toys for feeding, a few toys (inside / outside), and crate,  wet wipes, cleaning sprays for accidents, paper towels, and standard leash.   
• Supplies good to have -  baby gate, dog comb, nail clippers, adoption bandana, long leash(s), harness, new collar, more snacks, licky mat, peanut butter, cheese cubes / other foods dog likes. 
• Follow the 3-3-3 protocol and ensure there is a level of routine throughout the day, including rest time. The dog will start pushing boundaries after the first decompression period, and this is where you'll train and enforce good behavior. Take good notes so if you reach out to one of the trainers through Friends of AAC (voucher provided), you would get a great interaction and guidelines on how to enrich and provide care / growth for your foster dog. 

• Take good photos / videos 
• Provide +/- descriptions of dog interactions at the shelter / while in foster via observation forms. 
• Post about the dog on nextdoor and/or print out flyers around your neighborhood. This also includes making a social media profile for the dog or reaching out to a volunteer that has one already for general shelter activities (we have one) 
• Take them out for a field trip and see how they interact with the environment 

You'll be signed up to receive emails through Vlogistics. People also post updates on the facebook group (link via volunteer resources page on this website). 

• This depends on a lot of things, and generally various between volunteers. 

1. Some volunteers are in small groups they organize and have identify specific dogs they are champions for and come on schedule for those dog walks. 
2. Others come solo and just focus on the board as needed. 
3. Some volunteers come on the weekend to take the dog on a joyful outing to the park, to their homes where they dogs get some quiet nap time, or rented a pool for fun activities. 
4. Volunteers take 10, 15, to 30+ mins per dog, some will take the dog through the entire campus, a play yard, and then real life room, while others will just walk the 15 mins around the front. We believe this one all depends on the need of the dog and the day. 

Luckily for us, Austin has plenty of spaces to take dogs for an outing (rank by distance from shelter). 

• Govalle Neighborhood Park - Watch for off leash dogs!
• Festival Beach Boat Ramp - Plenty of shade along townlake 
• Secret Beach (Check water quality) 
• McKinney Falls State Park
• Onion Creek Greenbelt (Check water quality) 
• Richard Moya Park
• Hyde Park 
• Mueller Lake Park 
• East Metropolitan Park - Large area with plenty of space if your dog wants to not be bothered 
• Pease Park - There is an on-leash dog area, but watch for off leash dogs!
• Shoal Creek Greenbelt - Watch for off leash dogs!
• Green Belt (Check water quality) 
• Swimply (pool pass for dogs)