Every new volunteer must attend a New Volunteer Orientation session to learn about Happy Tails, its policies, and how it operates.

Happy Tails holds New Volunteer Orientation sessions at our Adoption Center located at 721 56th Street (in the Elvas Center at the corner of 56th and H Streets (Map), in east Sacramento on the third Wednesday of every month at 6:30 PM. An Orientation session lasts about two hours, depending on the attendance. It will give you an overview of Happy Tails and our goals. Orientation is also offered on the first Sunday of every month at 1:00 p.m. at our Adopt-A-Pet Center.

Orientation lasts about three hours, depending on attendance. It will give you an overview of Happy Tails and our goals. If you decide to become a Happy Tails Volunteer, please sign up in advance by calling our Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator at (916) 532-4468. Leave your name, a day and evening phone number and the date you wish to attend Orientation. You can also send an email message to the Coordinator.

Additional training in other more specialized volunteer areas is also available after you complete orientation. This additional training will cover other areas you may be interested in as a Happy Tails Volunteer. Topics such as adoptions, trapping, fostering, VoiceMail, feral programs are covered at meetings of committees and are scheduled by the Coordinators in charge on an as needed basis.