Reference no: EM132879890

Summarize Volunteer's Handbook.

Summarize the main points of the following paragraph:Attendance Volunteer 

• sessions do not need to be scheduled however, if you volunteer regularly for a designated shift, please be punctual and reliable. If you are unable to fulfill your commitment, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator. If you no longer wish to volunteer, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator and you will be made inactive. You remain in our database so that if you wish to continue volunteering later, you can be made active again. If you sign up for an offsite event, we ask that you be present and on time. If you are unable to make it, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Waiver and Release Form An appropriate waiver and release form must be signed before you begin volunteering. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have their waiver signed by a parent or guardian before beginning volunteer work. Volunteers under the age of 16 cannot volunteer at the shelter. If you are under 16 years old and need volunteer hours, please ask about different projects/fundraisers you may complete outside of the shelter.
• Accidents and Injuries Any accident or injury that occurs while at PAWS must be reported to the supervisor immediately (within 10 minutes after the injury occurs). Bites and scratches are considered an injury and must be treated immediately. When working with animals, there is a potential risk of injury, however PAWS is not liable and you are not covered under our insurance policy.
• Proper Dress Volunteers are asked to represent PAWS in a professional manner. A PAWS Volunteer T-Shirt must be worn while volunteering at the shelter or at an offsite event.
• Volunteer Personal Property PAWS is not responsible for loss, theft or damage of personal items. Volunteers are advised not to bring excessive cash or valuables with them while working on-site. We provide lockers in the volunteer workroom for your use. Please provide your own lock and take it with you when you leave.
• Cross-Contamination Wash or sanitize your hands before and after contact with each and every animal. An animal that may look healthy could have recently gotten over or may be coming down with kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection (URI)
• Personal Adoptions Volunteers and staff may adopt animals that enter into our program as long as they meet PAWS adoption guidelines, follow adoption procedures, and pay all applicable fees.
• Cell Phones / Headphones There should be absolutely NO cell phone use while volunteering on the dog or cat floor! Volunteers need to be very aware of their surroundings when volunteering at PAWS. This includes listening for any dog scuffles, cars, or a staff person trying to get your attention. For this reason, we do not allow volunteers to listen to headphones, or to be texting or talking on the phone while walking or socializing. Phones can be used during a break, but not while interacting with the animals or other assigned duties.
• Unauthorized Areas Volunteers are not allowed in any unauthorized area at any time without staff approval. This includes quarantine, isolation, and the vet clinic unless trained and assigned to these departments.
• Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment It is illegal to harass others on the basis of their sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital or veteran status, citizenship, disability and other personal characteristics. Harassment includes making derogatory remarks about such characteristics, making "jokes" about ethnic or other groups, and other verbal, physical and visual behavior, including sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of misconduct that undermines the integrity of the volunteer/PAWS relationship. No volunteer, either male or female, should be subject to unsolicited or unwelcome sexual overtures or conduct, either verbal or physical. Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. It refers to behavior that is not welcome, that is personally offensive, that debilitates morale, and that, therefore, interferes with work effectiveness. Such behavior may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted physical, verbal or visual sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and any other sexually oriented conduct, that is offensive or objectionable to the recipient, including but not limited to: abusive language, derogatory or suggestive comments, slurs or gestures, and offensive posters, cartoons, pictures or drawings. PAWS Humane will not tolerate the harassment or sexual harassment of any employee, client, customer, volunteer, vendor or any other person dealing with the organization. Volunteers should report suspected sexual comments or harassment directly to their supervisor or the managing director and the matter will be promptly investigated. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible consistent with the need to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of a complaint. Retaliating or discriminating against an employee or volunteer for complaining about sexual harassment is prohibited. Any instance of sexual harassment as described herein, any act of retaliation, or any failure to cooperate in the investigation or resolution of a sexual harassment complaint may result in disciplinary action or termination.
• Mistreatment of Animals There will be no mistreatment of animals. If a volunteer is found mistreating an animal, the volunteer will be terminated immediately.
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse PAWS Humane will not tolerate the use of alcohol or drugs in the workplace. Use of these substances can adversely affect a volunteer's performance and judgment, compromising the welfare and safety of the animals and others.
• Smoking Policy There is a designated smoking area on the side of the building. There is no smoking allowed when handling the animals!
• Termination and Resignation As a volunteer, you are under no contractual obligation to continue services at PAWS Humane. Should you decide to resign please notify the volunteer coordinator of your decision. Reasons for involuntary termination include, but are not limited to: ? Distribution of any defamatory or slanderous comments about PAWS Humane (including, but not limited to e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, blog sites, and verbally) ? Any abuse of animals ? Sexual harassment of any kind ? Reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol or other substances ? Utilizing PAWS Humane property for any illegal purposes ? Theft in any form ? No Call/No Show for scheduled shift three times per one-year period ? Non-compliance with rules and regulations of PAWS Humane
• Volunteer Center The volunteer center is the room at PAWS Humane you will visit to log your volunteer hours. When you have completed volunteering for the day, please return to the volunteer center to log your hours on the computer. You will be given a username and password the day following orientation. You will use this information to log in to MyVolunteerPage.com. Detailed instructions are listed in the volunteer center. If you have any questions, please ask a PAWS employee to page the volunteer coordinator for help. The volunteer computer should not be used for anything other than logging hours.
• Your promise to our PAWS resident animals: To always treat every animal with kindness and respect - Remember, these shelter animals have ended up here because they have been deemed "unwanted" for one reason or another. If a dog is hyperactive or jumping and barking incessantly, do not take your frustration out on them - yelling at them will only raise that level of excitement. We believe in positive reinforcement opposed to harsh corrections. There is no such thing as a bad dog, only dogs that haven't been shown the proper way to behave. To report any signs of illness to a staff member - Be careful to notice any nasal discharge, loose stool, sneezing, coughing, vomiting and/or lethargy. A limping dog may be recovering from a previous injury, or they may have just hurt themselves, so always let us know if you see anything out of the ordinary.
• Things to keep in mind while working with animals: Never try to handle an animal that looks scared - Always remember that you don't know these animals, and they don't know you. When an animal is scared or feels threatened, they're behavior can be unpredictable. If they are giving you clear signs that they do not want to be handled, please respect that and never force them to do it. ? Do not bend over a scared animal. Keep in mind that from a cat or small dog's point of view, we are much larger and can tower over them. ? Do not stare directly at a frightened dog or any dog for that matter. This is a challenge and can promote anxious behavior. ? Do not approach the dog from the front, but rather from the side with the side of your body facing them. This is a friendly, non-threatening way to approach a dog you do not know. Never EVER try to break up a dog fight - Most fights can be ended quickly with a loud noise or by splashing the dogs with water. If that does not work, NEVER, not EVER, should you try to physically separate the dogs. When they are in that mind-frame, they can unintentionally redirect that aggression toward you, causing a serious bite and landing them in Rabies Quarantine. Get a staff person immediately to separate the dogs. Every time we handle or touch an animal we increase the risk of illness - Our biggest concern is the accidental spread of microscopic germs from feces, urine, saliva and nasal discharge. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after contact with each and every animal. This will reduce the likelihood of spreading germs or bringing germs home to your pets. Never turn your back on a room or cage with the door left open - Always check to make sure the cage or room doors are closed and securely latched. The real life rooms have an additional latch to provide for our very smart residents who have learned to open doors. Have fun! - Using your voice in a confident, up-beat manner can be a wonderful source of stimulation. The words you use are not important; the tone of voice is everything. If you are unhappy, the dogs will know. By being here, you can make a big difference, so let's make it a positive experience for both you and the animal."