Your first step toward volunteer service is to attend an orientation class.  Volunteers may then attend classes in animal care, or they may begin working in other areas which do not require further training.  Class schedules are posted on the website. You are always welcome to stop by the shelter to get more information about our programs and schedules.  To indicate your interest in volunteering or to ask specific questions, please e-mail us at volunteer@solanospca.com.  When you e-mail it is very helpful if you can tell us something about yourself and why you want to volunteer for the SPCA.   Anyone interested in working with our animals will need to attend a series of classes.  The classes outline our program and insure that the animals have consistency in their training.  Many dogs are surrendered to shelters because they were not given any formal obedience training when they were young.  It is our goal that all dogs at the Solano County SPCA be given basic obedience training, making them adoptable, well mannered canines.  Our facilities include a new training field with agility equipment.  Volunteers with advanced training will learn the proper way to work with the dogs and the equipment, teaching them skills to make them more adoptable.  Our cat volunteers help to socialize the cats and kittens making them comfortable being handled.  We often get cats and kittens surrendered to us that require a little extra love and attention.  There are times when foster homes are needed for the very young or undersocialized cats.  Volunteers can foster them for a short time to give them the extra attention which makes them more adoptable.  Cat program volunteers will interact with our feline residents in our new "free roaming cat rooms".  Volunteers help our cats find new homes by helping potential adoptors find the cat with the right personality for their home. Volunteers are welcome to work with both the dogs and cats.  We have many other jobs for volunteers, especially fundraising and grantwriting.  If you are able to help in any capacity please e-mail us and let us know what you would like to do.  We do ask volunteers to make a monthly commitment of time, usually eight hours per month.  Thank you for your interest in helping. Your help does make a huge difference to the animals and staff.