You can help the animals by donating money, volunteering your time and donating necessary items.
Volunteers For Animals is always in need of monetary donations to care for the animals in Genesee County. 96% of every dollar donated to Volunteers For Animals goes directly to help animals in Genesee County, NY and the surrounding area. Volunteers For Animals has no salaried employees. We rely entirely on the generous support of volunteers and donations. Our largest expense is veterinary care for spaying/neutering and helping sick and injured animals. Spaying and neutering animals is the ONLY way to reduce the number of homeless animals. Please consider making a donation today. All donations to Volunteers For Animals, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, are tax-deductible.
You can make a donation online (by credit card, PayPal, or Venmo) below or mail a check to:
Volunteers For Animals
PO Box 1621
Batavia, NY 14021
Consider a monthly donation - Your monthly gift guarantees medical care, testing, vaccines and spaying/neutering for a dog or cat. A monthly donation of any amount is an easy way to provide a second chance for a healthy life for a pet.
Volunteer your time
If you share the same concerns and interest in animals as Volunteers For Animals, consider joining us either as an active member or contributing member.
Active members assist at the shelter, pet education, pet therapy, fund raisers and attend meetings. Contributing members make monetary donations and/or donate supplies used at the shelter.
Volunteers are always needed for morning cleaning of dog kennels and cat cages. Volunteers assist with adoption hours by answering phones, assisting with adoptions, walking dogs, socializing cats and cleaning.
Volunteers For Animals also has an extensive foster program for kittens and dogs.
All volunteers must be at 18 years of age and attend an orientation prior to volunteering at the Genesee County Animal Shelter. All volunteers must have current health insurance.
We ask that you make a serious commitment to volunteering at least one shift per week.
Here are the volunteer positions we are seeking:
1. Cleaning cat cages and dog kennels in the mornings Sunday - Saturday. Typically we start at 9 am until 11 am.
2. Dog walking and cleaning dog kennels during Adoption hours.
3. Cat socialization, tidying cat cages, cleaning dishes and doing laundry during Adoption hours.
4. Fundraising and assisting with events. This is not done at the Shelter.
5. Fostering of kittens and rescue dogs - not done at the Shelter but requires regular visits to the Shelter for vet care and adoptions.
Email us if you are interested in assisting us.
Ways to Help
Give us your returnable empties
Volunteers For Animals is collecting returnable pop/beer/water cans and bottles to help raise money for the animals. Bring in your empties and we will return them for you. Or in Batavia, you can take them directly to Easttown Beverages on East Main Street, Casella’s/ARC Recycling Center at 3785 West Main St Rd or McNickel’s Redemption Center at 200 Ellicott Street. In LeRoy, LeRoy Redemption Center at 8 1/2 Lake Street (Route 19), in Bergen, Bergen Bottle Redemption Center at 72 S Lake Rd, and in Corfu, CanJam Bottle & Can Redemption Center at 9 East Main St. Just tell them that they are for Volunteers For Animals and they will do the rest! All of the money collected from the deposits will go directly towards helping the animals.
(None of the places WILL accept any crushed containers)
Estate Planning
Volunteers For Animals has been caring for the animals in Genesee County since 1984. By including Volunteers For Animals as a beneficiary of your will, trust, life insurance or retirement plan, you can provide long term support to animals in Genesee County. There are many options for planned gifts which may provide you with tax benefits, increase your current income, or provide additional retirement income while reducing income tax and estate taxes. It is important to explore your options with a qualified professional. We greatly appreciate your consideration for this gift giving option.
Honorarium/Memorial/Birthday Donations
Celebrate the special people and animals in your life - Make a donation to Volunteers For Animals on behalf of a loved one for a birthday, anniversary, memorial or any other important occasion. Or, pay tribute to a special pet.
For your next birthday (or any celebration), ask everyone to bring a donation to give to the animals. Help those who cannot help themselves. What a great way to celebrate your birthday.
Donate A Kuranda Bed
We are in need of some new Kuranda Beds for our dogs. The dogs love them - they are comfortable and get them off the concrete. Here is a link to our wish list for Kuranda Beds. Thank you for thinking of the animals.
Shelter Wish List
THESE ARE SOME ITEMS NEEDED FOR THE SHELTER:
KITTEN FOOD - Preferred food - Purina ONE Healthy Kitten
CANNED DOG FOOD
DRY CAT FOOD - Preferred food - Purina ONE - Indoor Advantage
DRY DOG FOOD - Preferred food - Purina ONE - Chicken and Rice
LAUNDRY SOAP
BLEACH
PAPER TOWELS, Q-tips, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol
NON-CLUMPING CAT LITTER
CAT LITTER BOXES
LEASHES
KONGS AND PEANUT BUTTER (no rawhide treats please)
LARGE NYLA BONES
PLAIN YOGURT
CAT TOYS OF ANY KIND
SQUEEZE TREATS FOR CATS (Like Delectables Squeeze Ups)
RETURNABLE POP/BEER CANS AND BOTTLES
FOREVER POSTAGE STAMPS
REAMS OF COPY PAPER (LETTER SIZE)
GENTLY USED DOG HOUSES
GIFT CERTIFICATE TO GENESEE FEEDS (across the street from the Shelter)
GIFT CARDS TO WALMART, TRACTOR SUPPLY OR PETCO
DOG BISCUITS
Winnie’s Fund
Volunteers For Animals started Winnie’s fund in 2018 with $5000. We were awarded a grant from ASPCA for $2500 in 2019. To date, we have helped over 60 animals covering more than $40,000 in medical care. The medical care includes dentals, eye surgeries, fractured limbs, leg amputations, removal of bladder stones, visits to medical specialists and care of animals after severe neglect. We are pleased to say that these animals have been adopted into loving homes. We greatly appreciate the donations from our many supporters and the ASPCA. Please consider donating to Winnie’s Fund. Thank you.