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Dress Code All volunteers must be clearly identified as a volunteer while performing services at the shelter or while participating in any special project or fund-raising event. All volunteers will be provided with one T-Shirt. Additional T-Shirts can be purchased from the Shelter. Volunteers performing a service that involves handling animals should wear clothes that can get dirty or furry. Please wear closed toes shoes with soles that will not slide on concrete for safety. You will not be allowed to volunteer for the day with open toed shoes, backless shoes or flip flops. Dangling jewelry is likely to become snagged and can be a hazard so refrain from wearing any. Clothing that displays profanity is prohibited. Volunteers wearing items which are deemed inappropriate may be asked to leave for the day. Conduct As a representative of the Pickens County Animal Shelter, it is important that volunteers be familiar with the shelter’s policies and procedures. Volunteers should be polite, courteous, and helpful when communicating with all shelter staff and with all visitors to the shelter. It is the policy of the Pickens County Animal Shelter to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment, and one that promotes equal opportunity and equitable treatment. Any type of harassment or discrimination based on a person’s race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, etc. is prohibited. Public Relations Our success depends on the quality of the relationship between PCAS and the general public. You, as a volunteer, represent PCAS both at the shelter and in the outside world. You are an ambassador when not at the shelter and the more goodwill you promote, the more successful we can be. Please help to spread positive images of PCAS when dealing with the public. Personal Items The shelter is not responsible for any personal items lost, stolen or damaged. Please leave valuables at home or locked in your car. Unauthorized Areas Volunteers are not to be in any unauthorized area without prior staff approval i.e. quarantine or intake. Pickens County Animal Shelter Shelter Friends Volunteer Policies and Guidelines ---PAGE BREAK--- Complaints We want your volunteer experience to be fun and rewarding. If you have a complaint, please notify the Shelter Office Manager or the Shelter Director. Qualifications Volunteers must be at least 17 years of age and must enjoy working with all types of people. They must show a genuine concern for the welfare of the animals. They must have the ability to work hard, get dirty and pitch in whenever required. Volunteers who work directly with animals must exhibit a willingness to learn about animals and how to safely interact with them. They must be able to react quickly to prevent accidents and maintain the safety of every animal at the shelter. Training Before beginning any volunteer service, all volunteers must attend Orientation. During orientation, each volunteer will receive a copy of the Volunteer Handbook, a Volunteer Registration Form, and the Volunteer Waiver. The basic orientation will last approximately one hour and will include such activities as completion of the Volunteer Registration and Waiver, an explanation of basic shelter safety & policies, descriptions of available volunteer positions, and time for volunteer questions. Certain volunteer positions may require additional training. Please also do not bring any untrained friends or family with you on your volunteer shift. Recording Service Hours For all in-shelter activities, volunteers must record their hours in the volunteer sign-in book located at the front desk. Please sign in when you arrive and sign out when you leave. This helps us know who is in the building or on the property in case of an emergency. Disease Transmission & Control A healthy animal may be carrying disease while showing no Stress plays a huge role in lowering an animal’s immune system and allowing them to become ill. Our most important job is to help keep the animal’s stress levels as low as possible. It is possible for you to transmit disease from the animals at the shelter to your pets at home and vice versa. Please discuss your volunteer activities with your vet and vaccinate your pets appropriately. We also recommend changing clothes after your volunteer shift and before interacting with your own pets or other animals. Disciplinary Action These policies and guidelines are in place to make the volunteer experience at PCAS both safe and enjoyable for everyone. If a volunteer commits a violation of the rules, disciplinary actions will be taken. Volunteering at PCAS is a privilege, not a right. The following actions will not be tolerated and may result in immediate termination: Abusive behavior towards an animal Physical or verbal abuse of any staff or volunteer Disregard for rules and regulations