Volunteer at ICACS

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter.  We rely on the support of people like you to help the animals at our shelter and the citizens of our community.  Many of the programs at ICACS would not be possible without the help of our amazing volunteers.

What do ICACS volunteers do?

Volunteering opportunities include:

  • Dogs: Walking and socializing dogs, making enrichment to keep their brains occupied while here, handling dogs for customers, dog walking club, taking a dog out of the shelter on an “Ultimutt Sniffari” in town
  • Cats: Socializing cats, grooming cats, making enrichment to keep them occupied while here, handling cats for customers
  • Community cat program: Helping with setting traps, picking up trapped cats, and releasing community cats back to their home after surgery. Medically trained volunteers can even assist our medical staff with community cat spay and neuter surgeries. 
  • Housekeeping: Dishes, laundry, cleaning public areas such as lobbies and meet and greet rooms
  • Community outreach: Transporting animals to and from partner shelters, rescues, and to offsite locations. Staffing special events such as adoption events, support at our Outreach Center, and other special projects, like making cat houses or collecting donations.
Volunteer Orientation

We host volunteer orientation meetings each month.  Meetings are typically 90 minutes in length and take place at the shelter located at 600 Buhl St. in Mason.  Our upcoming volunteer orientations can be found on our events page. 

Community Service

ICACS accepts some court ordered community service candidates.  You must contact the Volunteer Coordinator to determine eligibility and schedule a community service orientation.  Please note community service volunteers do not directly work with animals.

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator

For more information on our volunteer or community service programs, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at  (517) 676-8311 or email [email protected].   


Frequently Asked Questions about our Volunteer Program
How do I become a volunteer?

First you will attend volunteer orientation to get you onboarded to the program, after that you are ready to start volunteering!  Upcoming orientations can be found on our events page. 

How old do I have to be to volunteer?

You must be 16 or older to volunteer without a parent or guardian, and you must be over 18 to work with dogs.

What do I need to bring to volunteer orientation?

You must have a valid photo ID.  If you are under 18, you must have parent or guardian approval.

Is there any special training for volunteers?

If you want to directly interact with animals, you must complete a free online Fear Free course and in-person animal handling training with our shelter behaviorist.

Medically trained volunteers undergo advanced training with our medical team. 

People who want to be part of our community cat team will attend special training on how to humanely trap cats for spay and neuter surgery. 

What is the Dog Walking Club?

Dog walking club is a small group of volunteers that meet on Wednesdays and Saturdays to give the dogs a much needed break from the shelter. 

What is an "Ultimutt Sniffari"?

An Ultimutt Sniffari is a program we have for our Fear Free certified dog walkers to get the dogs a little break from the shelter!

You can take out a dog to walk around downtown Mason.  Businesses have signs welcoming dogs to visit.  It is a great way to give dogs a little break from the stress of shelter life and get some exposure around town.