If you’re a dog lover living on Long Island, you’re in luck — there are countless ways to get involved and help dogs in need across the region. From walking shelter dogs and fostering pups to helping at events or offering your professional skills, Long Island offers many rewarding volunteer opportunities that allow you to make a meaningful impact.
Volunteering with dogs doesn’t just change their lives — it often transforms yours, too. Here’s your guide to some of the best ways to volunteer with dogs on Long Island.
1. Volunteer at Animal Shelters
Animal shelters across Long Island rely heavily on volunteers to care for their animals and keep operations running smoothly. Organizations like the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, Little Shelter Animal Rescue, and the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation welcome volunteers in roles such as:
- Dog walking: Provide dogs with exercise, enrichment, and socialization.
- Feeding and cleaning: Keep kennels clean and dogs well-fed.
- Playtime and enrichment: Help reduce kennel stress with toys and activities.
- Adoption events and meet-and-greets: Assist staff in helping dogs find forever homes.
Most shelters require an application and brief orientation, but once you’re trained, you’ll play a direct role in improving dogs’ well-being.
2. Join a Local Dog Rescue Group
In addition to shelters, many independent dog rescue organizations operate on Long Island. Groups like Last Hope Animal Rescue, North Fork Animal Welfare League, and Kent Animal Shelter rescue dogs from overcrowded shelters or neglectful situations and prepare them for adoption.
These rescues often need help with:
- Transporting dogs to fosters, vets, or events
- Conducting home visits for adopters
- Fundraising, marketing, or administrative tasks
- Helping at adoption events or outreach booths
Because rescues are often volunteer-run, every hour you can offer truly counts.
3. Become a Foster Parent
Fostering is one of the most life-changing ways to volunteer. By welcoming a dog into your home, you give them a safe place to recover, learn, and thrive until they find their forever family.
Organizations like Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Last Hope Animal Rescue offer foster programs that provide supplies, veterinary care, and guidance. You might foster:
- Puppies needing round-the-clock care
- Dogs recovering from surgery or illness
- Shy or anxious dogs who need time to build confidence
Fostering not only saves lives but also creates space in shelters for more animals to be rescued.
4. Volunteer With a Therapy Dog Program
If you have a calm, social, and well-trained dog, you might consider becoming a therapy dog team. Therapy dogs visit hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and libraries to provide comfort and companionship.
Programs like Therapy Dogs of Long Island and Pet Partners offer certification and placement services. Once trained, you and your dog can volunteer to:
- Visit nursing homes and hospitals
- Participate in children’s reading programs
- Offer stress relief at schools or corporate offices
This type of volunteer work is incredibly rewarding and strengthens the bond between you and your pet.
5. Help at Fundraising and Adoption Events
If you have limited time, helping at events is a flexible and fun way to get involved. Many shelters and rescues host:
- Adoption fairs and pet expos
- Charity runs, walks, and benefit dinners
- Raffles and auctions
Event volunteers help with setup, registration, merchandise sales, raffles, or social media coverage. These events raise critical funds that keep local dog organizations going strong.
6. Offer Your Skills and Expertise
Behind-the-scenes roles can be just as valuable as hands-on work with dogs. Many organizations need help from people with skills like:
- Photography or videography for adoption profiles
- Graphic design and website support
- Social media management and marketing
- Fundraising, grant writing, or event planning
These contributions help increase adoptions, bring in donations, and expand outreach.
7. Support Pet Food Pantries and Outreach
Long Island organizations such as Paws of War and local animal shelters sometimes run pet food pantries or outreach programs to help families keep their pets during hard times.
Volunteer opportunities include:
- Collecting and distributing pet food and supplies
- Organizing donation drives
- Providing outreach to families in need
- Helping seniors or disabled owners care for their pets
By helping keep pets in their homes, you reduce shelter intake and preserve the human-animal bond.
How to Get Started
Here’s how to jump in:
- Research local organizations and their volunteer needs.
- Submit a volunteer application — many have online forms.
- Attend orientation or training if required.
- Start small — even a few hours a month can make a big difference.
- Stay flexible and open-minded — the work can be unpredictable, but the rewards are great.
Local Organizations to Explore
- Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter → toh.li
- Little Shelter Animal Rescue → littleshelter.org
- Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation → southamptonanimalshelter.com
- Last Hope Animal Rescue → lasthopeanimalrescue.org
- Kent Animal Shelter → kentanimalshelter.com
- Therapy Dogs of Long Island → therapydogsli.org
- Paws of War → pawsofwar.org
Final Thoughts
Volunteering with dogs on Long Island offers an incredible way to give back, connect with your community, and make a real difference in the lives of animals. Whether you’re walking shelter dogs, fostering a pup, lending your skills, or visiting hospitals with a therapy dog, your time and compassion help create brighter futures for dogs in need.
So why not take the first step? Get involved today and join the community of Long Islanders working to make the world a kinder place — one wagging tail at a time.