What are you looking for?

Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer! Our general volunteer orientation is for those looking to help in the shelter, where you'll have the chance to work with cats, critters, and even sometimes dogs—additional training is required to work with dogs. As a volunteer, you’ll play a vital role in helping us care for our animals by assisting with cleaning, socializing, and organizing! We welcome volunteers of all ages! However, please note that anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. If you are interested in joining us, please be sure to monitor our website, as we will be posting sign ups for our monthly orientations there!

Socializers are charged with working with feral cats or those having difficulty adjusting to life at the shelter. It involves working quietly and patiently in prescribed ways with those cats that have been designated as potentially difficult to adopt. This is done only under supervision of and as scheduled by the socializing coordinator. The goal is to acclimate the cat to human contact and build its trust and confidence so that it can be transported and vetted without difficulty and will be able to adjust to a new home environment with relative ease. Contact branfordcompassionvolunteer@gmail.com

Direct care volunteers should be at least 18 years of age. They are responsible for working at the shelter on a morning or evening shift, each of which lasts approximately 2 hours. It involves cage cleaning, feeding, sweeping, dish washing and medicating, as needed, the 60+ cats that are in the shelter at any given time. Contact branfordcompassionvolunteer@gmail.com

BHcare is seeking compassionate volunteers to support adults with mental health needs in its Social Rehabilitation Program. Volunteers assist with daily group activities, accompany clients on community outings, provide one-on-one support, and help foster personal growth, social engagement, and wellness. This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in behavioral health, work with a supportive team, and make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Open to individuals 18+; no prior experience required. Application

The Volunteer Greeter creates a warm, welcoming first impression for clients and families upon arrival. This role supports front-end operations by facilitating communication with clinicians and helping maintain an organized, inviting waiting area. Volunteers will receive a list of available time slots and may sign up based on their availability. Scheduling will prioritize less busy hours to ensure a manageable supportive environment.Key responsibilities:Greet clients and families promptly and warmly as they arriveNotify the appropriate clinician of each client's arrivalMaintain a clean, organized and welcoming waiting area by straightening up chairs, toys and reading materials.Assisting with light cleaning tasks such as wiping down toys and shared items.Provide basic administrative support, includingIf interested in volunteering, please apply HERE

Our Tails to Trails program is a dog walking program that offers volunteers the opportunity to bring our shelter dogs to off-site trail locations approved by staff and our dog trainer!In order to become a Tails to Trails volunteer, you must complete our volunteer orientation program in addition to 2 Dog Handling and Safety Classes with our staff dog trainer. You also must be 25 years of age with your own transportation to participate. If you are interested in joining us as a Tails to Trails Volunteer, please be sure to monitor our website, as we will be posting the link to sign up for our monthly orientations there!

Come and Read to the Animals! This program is a positive way for animals to interact with people while also providing therapy to them. For this program, you will bring a book of your choosing and we recommend that you bring a pillow or blanket to sit on while reading to your chosen animal! Reading to the Animals typically last around 45 minutes.

Branford Compassion Club receives no municipal support and depends solely on the generosity of its supporters and various fundraising events to sustain its operation. Volunteers who are interested in participating might engage in preparing grant applications, soliciting event sponsors, staffing merchandise or baked goods tables at events, and baking or crafting items for sale on our behalf. One of our most important activities is leveraging our social network platforms to obtain the greatest possible exposure to and engagement with our community. Contact branfordcompassionvolunteer@gmail.com.

Raise the Roof will help build our 25th sponsored Habitat home at 39 Arch Street in New Haven, with volunteers beginning work in April.Read about the project and the family building this home here. We’re building something new and “first-ever” for Habitat. Find the form for choosing dates to volunteer here.Your heart and hands will make a difference. Gather colleagues or friends to reserve a build day as a group, or sign up on your own to meet and work alongside new friends.If you’re new to volunteering with Raise the Roof—or part of a group (workplace, church, school, civic, or neighborhood)—please email contactus@raisetheroofct.org so we can include you in our communications and build invitations.Most Saturdays can accommodate groups of 10–12, and weekday build days are also available.

Branford Compassion Club (BCC) is a non-profit feline rescue organization that serves not only Branford, Connecticut, but surrounding communities. The mission of the club is to provide for the feeding, shelter and care of homeless, abandoned and feral cats; to place rescued cats into loving long-term homes; to educate the public about the importance of spay/neuter population control, responsible pet ownership and kindness to animals; and to establish an ongoing community network to achieve these goals.

The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter has been helping homeless animals along the Connecticut shoreline and vicinity since April 2003.Hundreds of displaced animals come through our doors each year and it takes a lot of time, rehabilitation and veterinary care to place them into new homes.With such great support from the Town of Branford, our dedicated staff, and our terrific volunteer base, we provide some of the best animal control & shelter services available in the state.

Raise the Roof is the Shoreline community build organization within Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven. Raise the Roof believes that everyone deserves a decent, affordable and safe place to live. To honor this belief, we work to bring the Shoreline community together to partner with families and help them build and own Habitat homes. Our “building” consists not only of the physical work; we raise awareness of the need for such housing, raise funds to sponsor the work, and seek out volunteers to serve alongside families and help them build. Raise the Roof works within the 501(c )(3) of Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven.