Volunteer Terms and Conditions

As a DVGRR Volunteer, I agree:

• My services to DVGRR are provided strictly in a voluntary capacity as a Volunteer and without any express or implied promise of salary, compensation or other payment of any kind whatsoever.
• My services are furnished without any employment type benefits including employment insurance programs, worker's compensation accrual in any form, vacations or sick time.
• I will familiarize myself and comply with DVGRR's policies and procedures applicable to Volunteers. In particular, I fully understand that DVGRR expects high standards of moral and ethical treatment of the animals under its care. I will adhere strictly to these standards in my capacity as a Volunteer.
• I understand that DVGRR, without notice or hearing, may terminate my services as a Volunteer at any time, with or without reason.
• I understand that public relations are an important part of a Volunteer's activities on behalf of DVGRR. I hereby authorize DVGRR to use any photographs of me in its possession for public relations purposes. I ask that DVGRR use reasonable efforts to give me advance notice of any such use, but such notification is not a condition to release photographs for public relations purposes.
• I have never been charged with animal cruelty and I am not, and have never been, an animal dealer or broker.
• I authorize my veterinarian to disclose information about my care of my animals to an authorized representative of DVGRR.
• I am volunteering my services to DVGRR and acknowledge that such acts(s) may involve risk of harm from dog bites or from other activities I may perform. I hereby acknowledge that I am familiar with dogs and dog behavior and understand my responsibilities as a volunteer to the DVGRR program.
• I acknowledge and understand that the dogs involved in DVGRR's program may be untrained or unhealthy, and that DVGRR makes no representations whatsoever regarding the dog's temperament, health (including the presence or absence of diseases transmissible to humans or other animals) age, ability, attitude or ability to be trained.
• I agree that if I volunteer for DVGRR, at Golden Gateway or anywhere else in activity with or for DVGRR, and something goes wrong (dog bite or illness to a person or a dog, for example) I will not make any claims against DVGRR, and if my family or guests in my home or on my property make claims against DVGRR, I will defend DVGRR. Specifically, I release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless DVGRR, its supporters, officers, employees, Board of Directors, affiliates and volunteers ("DVGRR participants") from any and all claims, liabilities, damages and costs ("claims and costs") for bodily harm or other personal injury which may occur to me, to anyone in my family, to any guests, to anyone on my property, to anyone I bring with me to Golden Gateway or to a DVGRR event, or to any of our pets, arising out of or related to the activities I perform and events I attend as a volunteer for DVGRR.
• We strongly encourage all DVGRR volunteers to have a current tetanus vaccination. If you are immunosuppressed due to current medicine or illness, or if you have any physical impairment which may make exposure to dogs an increased risk factor for your health, we strongly encourage you to discuss the matter with your physician prior to volunteering for a position which requires dog contact.
• Volunteering Services covered by this release and indemnity may include the following, but are not exclusive of any other volunteer activity that may arise and that I may participate in: Transport (including veterinary runs, short-runs or follow-up, Gateway Operations, Grant Writing, Database.

Transportation Team Terms and Conditions

As a Transportation Volunteer, I agree:

• To not bring your own dog(s) along on a transport (due to possible exposure to disease or incompatibility of dogs).
• That the dog(s) will not be placed in dangerous situations (e.g., riding in an open pickup truck or left unattended in a car).
• That when not directly supervised you will keep the dog(s) in a secure area, preferably a crate, that will ensure its safety.
• That you will not allow the dog(s) off leash except in a securely fenced area, and that you will not use chains or tie outs as a substitute for exercise.
• That you will immediately notify the Kennel Manager in the event the dog shows any signs of aggression, is food or toy possessive, or exhibits predatory behavior toward other animals.
• That you will never administer physical punishment or physical discipline to the dog beyond a light collar correction, and that if there is a problem beyond your capability you will immediately contact the Kennel Manager.

Our Position on Euthanasia

As a volunteer with DVGRR, you should be aware of, and understand DVGRR’s policies regarding euthanasia. This topic can understandably generate much emotion and unfortunately has the potential to lead to significant discord within any organization involved in animal welfare.

In order to enhance working relationships and promote a positive volunteer experience, it is our goal to ensure that all prospective volunteers understand our position on this topic prior to becoming involved with us.  

Within the shelter and rescue community, there is much controversy surrounding the term “no kill” and this term is often used incorrectly. As Marie Belew Wheatley, former CEO of American Humane, noted in a blog post from August 2009, “Although ‘no-kill’ certainly sounds like a good thing, it is merely a simple, two-word slogan that does not even begin to explain a very complex reality.” At DVGRR, we believe that reality includes the fact that not every animal can or should be placed into a new home, if doing so would seriously jeopardize the animal and/or the humans in the home.

We will NEVER euthanize an adoptable Golden due to lack of space, i.e., if our kennel might be filled to capacity. We have a foster home network to rely upon should this situation arise.

However, while our goal is to help as many Goldens as we can, there are times when we have a dog in our program that we do not feel we can place due to safety issues. As much as it may be hard to imagine aggressive behavior in a Golden Retriever, the fact is that in some cases it can and does exist. We are deeply committed to placing dogs responsibly into new homes. We will therefore humanely euthanize any Golden who has clearly demonstrated signs of aggression, which may include severe inter-species aggression, resource guarding and/or biting.

Additionally, there are some dogs that come to us when their owners cannot deal with a serious health issue or do not tell us about it, and we discover that the dog is terminally ill. In such cases, we will continue to provide for this Golden, either at our kennel facility or in a hospice home, until he no longer has an acceptable quality of life. At that point, in conjunction with our veterinarian’s advice, we again humanely euthanize the dog.

We do not take ANY of these situations lightly and often consult with behaviorists and/or veterinarians before making the final decision to euthanize, whether for aggressive behavior or health. A staff member always stays with the Golden during the euthanasia, no matter how emotionally painful or difficult that may be. Our staff grieves for the dogs, but takes comfort in knowing how many healthy, behaviorally-sound Goldens we have and will continue to place into new homes.

As a prospective volunteer, please think carefully about how these policies will affect you in your work with DVGRR. If your personal philosophy regarding euthanasia differs significantly from ours, we believe it may be best for your emotional health not to pursue a volunteer relationship with us.

If you join our volunteer community, and at any time feel a need to discuss concerns about euthanasia, please bring them to our attention via our Volunteer Coordinator and not through other staff members or co-volunteers.

We know this can be an emotionally difficult topic and we therefore encourage open dialogue, while at the same time striving for as much joint knowledge, understanding and awareness as possible.