Hitchcock Road Animal Services seeks volunteers; offers orientation and adoption special

Hitchcock Road Animal Services told the briefing it is seeking volunteers for multiple roles—dog walking, feeding, cat‑room cleaning, adoption support and off‑site events—and said orientations are scheduled for Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Kendra Brady, education and volunteer coordinator with Hitchcock Road Animal Services, said volunteers must be at least 18 years old, are typically asked for one two‑hour shift per week and ideally a six‑month commitment to allow for training and onboarding. “A 2 hour shift is what they're typically doing, and about a 6 month commitment,” Brady said, outlining that onboarding includes TB testing at Natividad Medical Center and badge issuance before role training.

Brady described a range of volunteer tasks, from cleaning and feeding to socialization and photography for adoption posts, and said teamwork helps spread workload: dog walking generally begins about 9:30 a.m. and dogs are locked up after adoption hours at 4 p.m. Adoption support runs Tuesday through Saturday beginning at 1 p.m., and Brady said the shelter runs an adoption special through Saturday the 14th with any large‑breed dog over eight months at half off the adoption fee; she listed the adoption price as $150, which includes spay/neuter, shots, rabies, microchip and routine medications.

She also outlined a new foster‑support program that is primarily remote (follow‑up calls and check‑ins) and asked people who cannot volunteer to consider sharing social posts, organizing blanket drives or using the shelter’s Amazon wish list.

Brady invited interested residents to complete an interest form on the Hitchcock Road Animals website or to attend a casual orientation without an appointment; she provided contact availability and asked people to follow the website’s Get Involved/Volunteer section for details.