Group + Workplace Volunteering

Your group loves animals. We love animals. Let’s get together and make a difference! BARCS (Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter) offers a variety of donation-based experiences for animal-loving groups. Book your group experience today and make it possible for us to rescue, heal and find homes for 11,000-12,000 animals each year.

  • The majority of our in-shelter volunteer opportunities are designed for groups of 15 people or less, where all volunteers are adults (18+ years old).

    We’re dedicated to offering an enriching stay while animals are in our care. As a team, you may clean kennels, organize inventory, walk dogs, socialize cats, assemble and deliver enrichment, help with trail maintenance and more! Your experience will include a private tour of BARCS, your selected hands-on volunteer activity and a group photo to commemorate your experience.

    Ahead of your volunteer day at the shelter, we ask that all groups partner with BARCS through a donation of $500 or more, or one of the other impactful contributions listed on the Group Volunteer Application. Your support is a direct investment in BARCS' lifesaving work. This amount covers the supplies and staff time needed to coordinate and manage corporate service groups.

  • This option allows you to get together at your workplace, school or gathering place with your coworkers, friends, or family. As a group, you’ll complete activities that benefit the animals in our shelter. Your group will be responsible for purchasing or gathering all of the ingredients and supplies needed for your selected recipes. This group experience includes:

    • A visit from a BARCS representative with a dog + a brief oral presentation of our mission

    • OR a virtual welcome from a BARCS team member + a digital tour of the shelter

    • 1-3 activities of your choice from our Enrichment Menu.

    • Scheduled time to deliver your completed enrichment items, with group photo upon delivery

    Ahead of your volunteer day, we ask that all groups partner with BARCS through a donation of $500 or more, or one of the other impactful contributions listed on the Group Volunteer Application. Your support is a direct investment in BARCS' lifesaving work. This amount covers staff time needed to coordinate and manage corporate service groups.

  • With 11,000-12,000 animals entering the care of the BARCS each year, our animals are always in need of treats, toys, and bedding to make their experience as enriching and comfortable as possible. This group experience is a supply drive that your organization can organize to collect supplies to send our animals some love! Once your supply drive is complete, we’ll schedule a time for you to come out and deliver your haul and take a group photo at our facility. Click HERE for our wish list. It’s updated in real-time so the supplies listed are exactly what we need.

Please read the following three group volunteering options and select the one that best fits your group's objectives:

Sign Up Your Group

Contribution:

Our donation-based experiences help cover the resources needed to host groups, as well as provide funding for the sick, injured and abused pets in our care. Since we are a private nonprofit and rely on donations from our community, these donations from groups really help us with our lifesaving work, and allow us to fund the staffing needed to host groups at BARCS.

We understand that not all groups have funds to contribute and simply want to contribute their time, which we deeply appreciate as well! If this is the case for you, please consider hosting a shelter supply drive for BARCS or registering individually for Dog’s Day Out.

Scheduling:

Please note, BARCS is currently scheduling groups 1-2 months out from the completion of the Group Volunteering Sign-Up Form. Due to our lack of staffing and resources, we are likely unable to accommodate groups that do not have flexibility in their schedules that match BARCS’ availability for this program.

“Got it! We’re ready to sign up!”

Please fill out our online form. Once received, our Assistant Director of Philanthropy will reach out to your group’s representative in about a week.