April 20 to 26th is National Volunteer Appreciation Week and we wanted to share just how grateful we are for our wonderful volunteers and foster families! Without their loving support, Greenhill Humane Society could not provide the current high level of service to the animals and people of our community we do!
As a special thank you, below are few shout-outs to some of our many caring volunteers.
Want to join this incredible team? Learn more here.
Sharon R., who has been with us since 2012 and has donated than 1,200 hours to outreach, adoption follow-up calls, kennel cleaning, transports, and fostering.
Why does she volunteer?
“As a four-role volunteer, I get to connect with our wonderful community and animals in so many ways. I can promote Greenhill to help people find a new furry family member, hear success stories from adopters about their Greenhill graduates, provide animal support in difficult times, such as recent forest fire evacuations, or help kittens on their way to adoption.
What does she say to anyone considering volunteering?
“You can help in many ways that best fit your style or choice of activity. In any volunteer capacity, you can make a significant difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them. You will help change lives– as I hear every month when I make my adoption follow-up calls or see the smiles at the Outreach table.”
Meet Susan L., one of our amazing foster families!
Since joining us last April, Susan has already fostered 22 animals and quickly become an essential part of our team. Her calm, caring nature shines through, even during the highs and lows of fostering.
Why does she foster? “Fostering brings me such joy! It’s something I can do to help the animals in our community and support Greenhill’s efforts tangibly. I encourage people to consider fostering; the training and support from the foster staff is top-notch; the rewards are many. This is a picture of my 97-year-old father entertaining a couple of foster kittens. This is another reason I love fostering, my family and friends enjoy the kitten interactions and help me socialize them.”
Meet our furrtastic customer service volunteer, KD! If you’ve ever stopped by Greenhill, there’s a good chance KD welcomed you! KD has volunteered more than 1,300 hours and has been a volunteer since 2018.
What is her favorite thing about volunteering?
“I think one of my absolute favorite things is seeing dogs reunited with their hooman. They turn inside out with joy…dogs and owners! What I love about volunteering in the front office is the incredible, amazing staff. They are truly dedicated to the welfare of the animals. I am always shocked at how much paperwork and administrative work is involved with animal adoptions and other facets of front office work.”
Say hi to Melissa K., one of our wonderful Specialized Species volunteers. Melissa has been volunteering off and on for many years, most recently returning in 2024 with more than 60 hours given so far this time around. She volunteers with both the rabbits and guinea pigs and is a trainer for new volunteers.
For anyone considering volunteering, Melissa says:
“I recommend taking a chance and not being afraid to find a new passion. If you know someone who volunteers already, ask if you can attend a shift with them to explore volunteer options. At minimum, you will spend a couple of hours helping animals. At the same time, you may find a new passion!”
Our foster families open their hearts and homes to some of our most vulnerable animals needing special care. Meet our dynamic foster duo, Sue and Steve M! They have been one of our go-to foster families for 5 years now and we can always count on them to care for kittens who are in poor health, and turn them into sweet, loving, and healthy cats.
Why do they foster?
“A Siamese cat, Miso, was found on a street with a very injured eye. She spent 5 days being treated at Greenhill before coming to me. A true champ needing more medications for her eye, who stole our hearts with her determination. Fostering requires dedication, time, care, persistence, selflessness, and love. The reward of turning around a sick or undersocialized animal into a loving adoptable pet is why we do it. The satisfaction of fostering fur babies can be as life-changing for you as your foster.”
Meet Dave R., who already has more than 400 hours of service assisting as a Greenhill Surgical Suite volunteer. Dave works alongside our medical team to monitor animals before and after their surgeries, prep and organize instruments, and help to maintain a sanitized environment. Their attention to detail and willingness to assist us allows us to continue to fulfill our mission in helping the animals.
What is his favorite thing about volunteering?
“My favorite part of my role as a surgical assistant is enjoying the interaction between the surgical staff and the animal patients. The enthusiasm the staff has for the animals is contagious. The compassion they have is evident in all they do.”
What does he say to anyone considering volunteering?
“The reality is, the satisfaction you derive from helping is an unexpected bonus. You can see and feel the difference that being here makes for the animals. It can be very impactful for them and can make a big difference in their lives. As a volunteer, you stand to gain a lot personally at the same time. I highly recommend joining the team at Greenhill. The time you spend with the animals in the surgical suit is very short. I have had the opportunity to visit the cattery one day. One of the kitties I played with and connected with in surgery days before saw me and had a great response when he recognized me. It felt so good to have that recognition.”
Pictured is Margo S., who has been a Greenhill Foster parent since 2013 and specializes in puppy care. She has been known to lend a helping paw when we need it most. She’s very compassionate and helps her fosters start their life journey the best way possible.
Why does she foster?
“Hundreds of dogs I have fostered now have loving homes. That’s why I foster.”
Meet one of our friendliest and most caring volunteers, Bryan G! For the last 2 years, Bryan has put in over 700 hours helping our cattery and laundry room! Thank you to all of our excellent volunteers who dedicate time, care, and love to our shelter animals. Their compassion, reliability, and commitment to helping animals are unmatched and extremely cherished.
What is Bryan’s favorite thing about volunteering?
“Doing laundry makes me feel good because I am offering all of the animals a clean, soft reality. Blankets and towels, toys and leashes, are essential for making the animal’s life softer and more comfortable.”
What does he say to anyone considering volunteering?
“Volunteering at Greenhill for any length of time is very gratifying. I feel that I am helping the animals, but I also feel that they are making my life sweeter. I would encourage anyone looking to help and be helped to volunteer.”
Bryan’s favorite moment as a volunteer so far:
“Really enjoyed being volunteer of the month. It was uplifting to my spirit, and I was and am proud that I am contributing to a more than worthy cause.”
Nancy M. has been a vital part of the foster team since 2022 and always manages to take fostering challenges in stride. She has taken on several animals with high medical or behavioral needs. Fosters like Nancy are crucial to our work and we would not be able to save as many lives as we do without her and others like her.
Why do they foster?
“There are several reasons why my family fosters through Greenhill. Firstly, we all love animals, especially baby animals! Fostering lets you play with lots and lots of babies, which is so much fun. Once we had a poor mama cat who had ten kittens! We called them the kitten flood because when you went in to visit them it looked like the entire floor was moving. The animals are always so grateful to be somewhere safe and quiet with lots of food and love. There is no better feeling than the first time a sad, anxious dog or cat comes to the door to greet you and ask for pets. Another reason we foster is my severely autistic daughter. She loves to sit in the foster room and gently pet and play with the animals. It makes her feel really good about herself because she’s helping pets learn to trust people again so they can find a forever home. She gets so excited every time we get a new set of animals to love. Lastly, we foster because it’s so easy! Greenhill provides everything you need from food to toys to blankets. There are always people manning the phone to answer any questions we have and give advice about any challenge we might encounter. There is nothing better you can do for yourself than open up your home to a needy pet and watch them blossom into a lovely friend for a forever family.”
Pictured are two wonderful kennel volunteers, Brodie W. and Maria VG.
Brodie has been volunteering for 14 years! He has more than 7,000 hours focused on kennel volunteering and fostering to supporting Greenhill behind the scenes in a variety of ways.
Brodie’s favorite thing about volunteering:
“It’s all dogs all the time. Meeting the dogs is fascinating, and building trust with them is my favorite part. Reading what their enrichment and training needs and likes are is the main reward and enjoyment for me.”
Brodie’s favorite moment as a volunteer so far:
“There are many moments that stand out over many years, and those are always the dogs that I have had a particularly strong bond with. These are often the moments a fearful, wary, and stressed dog tells me that I am ok and trusted, and we become friends.”
Maria has been volunteering for almost 5 years. She has given more than 1,000 hours helping with Kennel Cleaning and the Dog Enrichment Program.
Maria’s favorite part about volunteering:
“Building rapport with dogs, earning their trust, and helping them relax and enjoy. The mutual love and respect, the joy of being out in nature together.”
Maria’s favorite moment as a volunteer so far:
“The moment when a very large, fearful dog pushed his head into my chest and melted his whole body against me.”
Cheryl and Jeff C., who have been fostering with Greenhill for 10 years! Specializing in kittens, they have fostered over 160 animals, including 44 bottle baby kittens! Their love and dedication to these tiny babies are such an inspiration to all of us at Greenhill. Thank you to all our foster families who provide a temporary safe space for our animals and ensure they are set up for success as they transition to their new homes.
Why do they foster?
“We first began fostering for the fun of having kittens around. We continue to foster because we quickly realized there is such a need to help these vulnerable little ones who don’t have a voice. It brings us such joy and satisfaction to see these tiny, sick, and scared kittens become healthy and playful and ready to go to their forever homes.”
Lorrie and Kealey, this dynamic duo who have been volunteering for almost 15 years! They have taken on a variety of roles from helping the rabbits, the cats, and becoming superheroes in our laundry room!
What are their favorite things about volunteering?
“Our favorite part is getting to visit all the departments while putting things away and getting to see the animals.”
What do they say to anyone considering volunteering?
“Do It! Greenhill is a fun, happy place to volunteer. They are very nice to their volunteers and the animals.”
