Become a volunteer
How do I become a volunteer?
If you want to be part of our team and you are determined to dedicate your time, effort and commitment in a serious and responsible way to ensure that hundreds of animals receive the help they need and find the home they deserve, you must complete the following form in as much detail as possible.
To be a volunteer in ANAA it is essential to be over 18 years old (or older than 16 with authorization), reside in the Community of Madrid or Guadalajara. Also, due to the difficulty to get there by public transportation, it is highly recommended to have your own vehicle. There will be a course to provide you with the necessary training for the development of the tasks and to familiarize you with the different work groups.
Application form
Complete this form with your details so that we can contact you and provide you with more information about volunteering. We will contact you and call you for the volunteer course according to the needs of the association.
I authorize ANAA to check the data and information which appear on this form. I understand that this does not mean I will be accepted in ANAA’S volunteer program. The information provided in this form is for ANAA’s sole us and is governed by the personal data protection act.
What is a volunteer?
A volunteer is a person who choses freely and for ideologic, ethical, moral, or personal reasons, to invest part of his time, his work and his means in an altruistic and supportive task. He does not receive any economic compensation, but among many other things, he gets in return satisfaction, knowledge, experience and human relations.
Why should I become a volunteer?
It will allow you to gain new knowledge and skills, apart from developing those you already have. You will be in contact with persons who share your beliefs and your enthusiasm, but most important, you will make a difference by saving lives and helping provide many animals a second chance.
The aim of voluntary work is to guarantee the fulfilling and the achievement of the Association’s goals, as well as developing successfully its programs and campaigns.
All the activities are developed by and with the help of volunteers. We will describe briefly these activities. You can participate actively according to your preferences and/or experience. ANAA will provide you with all the information and training pertaining to each task, as well as with continuous support regarding the doubts which may arise.
The main aim of the adoptions team is finding responsible adopters who will guarantee that the animal gets the best quality of life. The volunteer must have good communication skills, as well as experience in handling animals.
The volunteer collaborates in all tasks related to administration, such as elaborating, handling and processing the paperwork required by the Association. Team work capacity, organization and basic office IT are necessary.
Professional volunteers help the veterinary team to tend the animals and care for them. Volunteers must be studying at least their 4th year of Veterinary Studies and must strongly support animal protection.
The aim is to offer the animals the best quality of life during their stay in the Centre by satisfying their needs, both physical and emotional, and striving to improve the possibilities of adoption and of future integration in a family. Team work capacity, strong commitment and perseverance are necessary.
The aim is to help implementing the C.E.S. method (link to the section “C.E.S. campaigns” Trap-Neuter-Return) for controlling cats colonies and supervising their well-being. Skill at handling unsocialized cats, and experience in colonies, are necessary. The volunteer must be available to work both on weekdays and week-ends.
One of ANAA’S aims is spreading awareness on animal protection and welfare. ANAA promotes different activities that help divulge the Association’s work and make people aware of the problem.
Communication skills and ability to relate to people are necessary.
The ANAA educa Team (link to “Anaa educa”) elaborates and teaches formative sessions and workshops for Elementary and Secondary School students. Emotional education is the main means to transmit the message. Initiative, social skills and imagination are needed.
ANAA organizes several events throughout the year, participates in events of the Comunidad de Madrid, as well as in informative stands. This entails careful planning, organization and coordination, as well as volunteers who attend these events and transmit the work carried out by the Association.
The aim of this group is keeping the web updated and designing everything related to events and activities, providing a positive picture in line with ANAA’s aims. This group requires professional designers able to devote daily their time and their keenness. They must be persevering and responsible.
A good maintenance of the facilities and of the grounds is necessary in order to keep the animals in the best possible conditions and to make work easier. We only need people willing to do any kind of job. Experience in particular areas (welding, masonry, plumbing, gardening, etc.) is very welcome, although it is not a requisite.
The Mixing Team is in charge of integrating new animals who arrive to ANAA in the group that is more adequate for each of them. The team takes into account different aspects such as size and character so as to ensure they can live together without problems. Experience in animals handling and capacity for team work are necessary.
ANAA’s Press and Marketing Cabinet controls, analyses, carries out and spreads all the communication activities, transmitting a positive picture of the Organization and handling with great care relations with the media. The aptitudes required in this team are initiative, planning and organization, as well as a quick mind and written/oral communication skills.
ANAA’S Rescues Team takes care of the more complicated cases. Frequently, the great wariness of the animals makes it very difficult for the persons who have asked for our help to catch them. This work entails great patience and skill. The members of this team work mostly on Saturdays because they can work all day. They know what time they arrive, but they never know what time they will leave.
The main aim of the Follow-up Team is to ensure the best living conditions for the adopted animals. The adopting families are contacted and given support and counsel, directly and/or by phone.
The Therapies Group helps those animals which, because they have not received the necessary education, they have been abused or they have experienced hard times, show an inappropriate behaviour or lack of socialization. This diminishes considerably the chances to be adopted. Working with this group entails being able to work on weekdays, as well as patience and skill with animals.
ANAA organizes approx. 10 trips a year by van to Germany. This is where part of our animals are adopted. In order to take those animals to their new families, we need volunteers who love driving and travelling and, preferably, who speak English or German.
We also need occasionally to take animals during the week to sitters homes, to veterinary specialists or to the airport.