Get Involved
Foster
Fostering changes lives
Step up and be the hero an animal needs. Whether you’re caring for a fragile newborn, nursing an injured animal back to health, teaching a dog new manners, or providing a safe haven for one in crisis, your love and care make all the difference.
As a Calgary Humane Society foster parent, you’ll receive full support, including supplies, vet care, and behaviour guidance—all at no cost to you. Our dedicated Foster Facilitators will be with you every step of the way.
Foster parent impact
- Provide a loving home to an animal in need
- Take care of daily needs like exercise, food, grooming, love, medication, and training
- Reduce an animal’s stress by giving them a break from the shelter
- Creating space in the shelter to help even more animals
Animals in foster care are 14 times more likely to be adopted! You can make a real difference by becoming a foster parent.
How to foster an animal:
Fill out our quick online application.
The Foster Team will review your application and reach out with next steps.
Sign the Agreement form, and get ready to welcome your first furry, fuzzy, feathered, or scaled friend!
To become a Foster Parent, complete the application form below:
Take a dog on a Fur-Low
Become a hero to a shelter dog through the Calgary Humane Society’s Fur-Low program. This program allows interested individuals or families to take dogs out of the shelter for a day for a fun adventure or a relaxing backyard retreat. By volunteering, you’ll give a dog a much-needed break from the shelter, reducing their stress and helping them on their journey to finding a forever home. Apply today to make a difference!
Animals who go on fur-lows are 5 times more likely to be adopted!
To give a dog a break from shelter, complete the application form here.
Volunteer
Volunteering makes a difference
Volunteering with Calgary Humane Society helps protect animals, support people, and advance animal welfare. Your involvement allows us to expand our reach and grow our impact.
How to get started:
Role openings: Our volunteers fulfill a variety of roles, ranging from administrative tasks to hands-on animal care. We accept volunteer applications based on the needs of our programs. Please see the roles open to applications below to apply.
Screening: Applications are reviewed based on attention to detail. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
High Demand: Due to numerous applications, positions may fill quickly. Reapply in the future if not selected initially. No phone calls or emails about application status, please.
Sessions: We offer single-session group volunteering on Thursday mornings from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm for groups of 6-12. Activities include a facility tour, animal visit, and help with laundry and dishes.
Age Requirement: Participants must be 18+.
Application: Your time is a generous contribution; however, we suggest a $500 donation per group to help cover the time and resources put into group volunteer events. As a non-profit organization that does not receive any government funding, this donation can make a big impact on the animals and our operations to help Calgarians get the support they need through our extensive community services programing. Please choose from the available dates below for further details and to secure a date.
All group volunteer days are full until December 2024. More available dates will be posted in January 2025.
About volunteering
Diversity & Inclusion: We value diverse perspectives and welcome volunteers from all backgrounds.
Age Requirements: Volunteers must be at least 14, 16, or 18 years old depending on the role. Youth under 14 can explore opportunities in our “Education” section.
Commitment: A minimum of 6 months, 2-3 hours weekly is required. Drop-in volunteering is available only after completing the initial 6-month commitment.
Training: Free of charge and lasts 3-4 weeks.
Family Volunteering: Roles like “Animal Care Assistant”, “Bunny Hugger” and “Feline Friends” are available. Adults with experience in handling bunnies or cats are preferred for the animal related roles. Children must be at least 5 years old and accompanied by an adult (2 children per 1 adult). Please monitor the website for these roles to apply as a family.
Police Check: A one-time $30 fee applies. Volunteers over 16 need two valid government-issued IDs; those under 15 can use a school photo ID.
Volunteer & Foster appreciation!
We want to give a huge thank you to our Volunteers and Fosters for donating their time and energy to helping our animals and community. We honour you and all the amazing work you do, and we’re endlessly grateful for your commitment to helping us create a more humane world!
Membership
The Membership Program has incredible benefits for you and your family. Not only do you receive huge discounts, behind the scenes email previews and early access to our events information – you also get to help the animals.
On behalf of all the animals you are supporting – thank you.
Pricing:
Annual Senior Membership (65+): $10.00
Annual General Membership: $40.00
Lifetime Membership: $250.00
Membership perks include:
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15% off future adoption fees
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15% off canine and feline behaviour classes and consults
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15% off purchases at the CHS Pet Gear Store and our online store
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15% off Kids Camps, Kids Clubs, and Birthday Parties
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Special promotions available exclusively for CHS members only
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Sneak peeks of our upcoming events and shelter celebrations
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An invitation to attend, and vote, at our annual AGM in April
