The Humane Society of the United States fights all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society - for all animals. Our Animal Rescue Team works with law enforcement to investigate the worst cases of animal abuse nationwide. Every year, we rescue thousands of animals from puppy mills, animal fighting operations, natural disasters and other large-scale situations of cruelty and neglect.

We have a great and urgent volunteer opportunity to provide direct care for animals rescued by the Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team at our animal care and rehabilitation center in Washington County, MD. (The exact location is confidential until you are selected to volunteer, as some of the animals are part of active criminal investigations involving alleged and convicted cruelty or neglect.)

This center provides care for the animals until placement is secured through one of our shelter placement partners. On average, the center houses 60-150 dogs at a time.

Apply Today!

There are few options to volunteer:  

1. Sign up to become a fully onboarded Animal Rescue Volunteer enabling you to volunteer at the MD center but also deploy with the team nationally as opportunities arise.Please complete and submit your Animal Rescue Volunteer application. After clicking on the application link, click the red "Apply Now"' button in the top right corner.
2. Apply here to volunteer just at the MD center by becoming a ‘Center Support’ volunteer. Note: this option is reserved just for those living near Washington County, MD – close enough for daily drive in/outs.
3. For those living in the immediate area, come out just for the day as an individual or group (apply here for a singular daylong shift). This could be great for teams/departments!
4. There are also opportunities to apply human or veterinary medical skills in addition to animal care duties or help with a special project/need like fostering, transporting, or administrative support. Just note this in your application and we will provide more information on these specialized roles. 

If you would like to learn more or have questions about this volunteer program, please email us at:         

rescuevolunteer@humanesociety.org