Volunteering

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Want to Volunteer to help the Animals?

**Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary! Please note, volunteering at the Sanctuary is not for everyone and if you cannot reliably fulfill commitment for the positions detailed below, please consider not submitting an application at this time. You can still be a sanctuary advocate by sharing our social media posts and events!**

Please be sure to read thoroughly through each section. 

Below are the available volunteer positions: 

  • Animal Care Assistant – Want to learn more about mammals and our feathered friends? This involves refilling and cleaning the waters for our 4-legged (some 3-legged!) residents as well as cleaning and refilling bird waters, cleaning coops and general clean-up and trash removal from the chicken area. Can also include hay chopping, additional animal feeding and care and light property clean up. Must be able to commit to one 3-hour shift per week in the morning (7:30am start time) or afternoon (2:30pm start time) for a consecutive minimum of 6 months. Moderate to heavy physical activity. This position requires a much higher level of commitment and responsibility as we put so much time and training into our animal care assistants and we staff based on your scheduled volunteer time. A donation of $50 for this position is required prior to starting work.
  • Public Events Guide – Assisting with property clean up, event set up, welcoming guests to the sanctuary, etc. This is a 2x a month commitment and almost exclusively on Sundays. If you enjoy the socialization of talking to people about the animals, this position might be for you! Light to moderate physical activity. A donation of $50 for this position is required prior to starting work.
  • Saturday Barn Scrape/Projects – Don’t mind mucking stalls? This involves scraping the barn every other Saturday and can involve other clean-up or general infrastructure project tasks as well. Applicants need to be comfortable being around the animals and be able to work independent of sanctuary staff (but will be working alongside other barn scrape volunteers). This position requires 2x per month commitment. Moderate to heavy physical activity. Those interested must be able to work in all kinds of weather from hot to freezing temps. A donation of $50 for this position is required prior to starting work.
  • Coop Cleaner – Want to spend time with our feathered friends and keep them clean and comfortable? This position is not for folks with sensitive respiratory conditions as volunteers will be cleaning out old bedding from each of our chicken coops and replacing with new. Allows volunteers to work independently. There is some flexibility as to start time, but we ask for a weekly commitment. A donation of $50 for this position is required prior to starting work. Moderate to heavy physical activity. 
  • Animal Transport/Errand Runner – If you have free time during weekdays and don’t mind Denver traffic, we need folks willing to transport animals to and from vet appointments or other errands. Typical transport times are between 8-9:30am and 4-6pm, however, we occasionally request emergency vet transport. Transportation may involve your vehicle or the sanctuary vehicle. Must have a Messenger account, valid Colorado driver’s license, proof of insurance and background check may be required. Light to moderate physical activity. There is no deposit or donation required for this position.
  • Project and Construction Volunteer – Want to help the animals and lend your trade skills  and extra time to the sanctuary? Projects can involve construction, plumbing, and carpentry. Moderate to heavy physical activity. Must be able to dedicate 1-2 weekend days per month. Interested applicants will need to complete a general construction skills survey. There is no deposit or donation required for this position.

Broken Shovels is a hard-working sanctuary meaning we are constantly busy with animal care, sanctuary infrastructure projects, fundraising and outreach. Our ultimate priority is caring for the animals that call the sanctuary their home and we consider caring for and working with them to be a privilege. It is important to understand that we rely strongly on committed, reliable volunteers. If you anticipate a lot of travel or have other commitments that could potentially interfere with the volunteer position/schedule you are interested in, please consider applying at a later time. You will have the chance to spend a little supervised time with the animals while learning about what we do to make life safe and comfortable for our residents, but the work comes first.

Volunteer Requirements:

  • Potential volunteers must be at least 18 years old. We cannot accommodate a parent/guardian with anyone under the age of 18. 
  • Must be able to lift 30 pounds and be able to work in a variety of weather conditions.
  • Must have a valid state-issued driver license or ID. 
  • A donation of $50 for all volunteer positions except Animal Transport and Project and Construction positions will be payable prior to starting any work.
  • We currently do not accommodate group volunteering or community service-based volunteer work.

If interested in the above mentioned positions, please click the link below to be taken to the application. Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the volunteer program. If your application meets our requirements to volunteer, you will typically receive an email within 2-4 weeks time. Sanctuary needs are always priority and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Volunteers are crucial and we are thankful for any and all time you’d like to help, but in order to provide the best care for our animal residents, our staff, our current volunteers, and our sanity DO NOT apply more than once or send emails to the main sanctuary email or DM/PM for earlier access.  Sorting through these types of inquiries is time consuming, clogs up inboxes and impedes important rescue work. Please trust that we want your help, are thrilled to have you, and we will get in touch according to the timeline indicated. 

All volunteers must complete an application, read and sign the volunteer forms and pay the donation of $50 all positions prior to starting any work. (Animal Transport and Project and Construction positions excepted.)

Take me to the application!

About Volunteering

Volunteering at Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary is not for everyone and if you cannot commit reliably to our needs mentioned below, please do not submit an application. Potential volunteers need to be at least 18-years old.

If you have a love of all animals and are dedicated and reliable, we’d love to have you join our volunteer group.

Below are areas we currently need additional help:

  • Public Events — Assisting with property clean up, on and off-site event set up, welcoming guests to the sanctuary, engaging visitors in conversation, etc. This is a minimum 2-3x a month commitment and usually involve Saturdays/Sundays.
  • Habitat Helper — Clean up and inspection of animal areas, primarily chickens and main sanctuary areas as well as mucking the barns. This is a 2-hr weekly commitment.
  • Errand / Vet Running — On an as needed basis during typical weekday business hours, running animals to and from vet appointments, picking up foster dogs, emergency medicine.
  • Occasional Project / Work Day — Typically a once a month commitment, weekend day(s). Can include light construction, clean-up, painting, animal pen maintenance, fencing, etc.

Broken Shovels — a Working Sanctuary

Please understand that we rely strongly on committed, reliable volunteers and we expect anyone who completes an application to put in work, not just to visit and take photos with the animals. Broken Shovels is a working sanctuary meaning we are constantly busy with animal care, sanctuary infrastructure projects, fundraising and outreach and we work very hard. We do not have time to entertain individuals looking for a free tour. This sounds harsh, but our ultimate priority is caring for the animals that call the sanctuary their home and we consider caring for and working with them to be a privilege.

At this time we do not offer any internships.

We are not currently able to accommodate group volunteering. As we house a lot of animals, we prefer to screen individuals who could potentially have access to our property and animals and we currently cannot do that effectively with groups.

How to Apply

If interested in the above mentioned positions, please apply by clicking the Volunteer Application button. Please understand that we care for many animals and we may not respond as promptly as expected. All volunteers must complete an application as well as sign the release and waiver of liability prior to starting any work.

Blackie Chan!