Volunteer Opportunities
Doodle Trust is a registered charity set up to rescue unwanted Doodles (Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, Cockapoos, and other Poodle crosses) and Poodles. The Trust is committed to the welfare of any dogs that come into our care, and endeavours to make a positive contribution to their lives, no matter what the circumstances. We aim to educate people about Doodles BEFORE they take the plunge, and are often called by people wondering about their suitability to own one of these lively, intelligent dogs.
We are looking for Fosterers, Homecheckers, Transporters & Fundraisers
If you feel able to help out with any of our volunteer roles, please contact us and tell us which role/s you are volunteering for and why you think you'd be suitable. Please also give us a telephone number so someone can contact you.
All volunteers will be required to sign our Volunteer Agreement.
We require volunteers from all over the UK.
Could you be a Fosterer for Doodle Trust?
Doodle Trust are looking for short and long-term fosterers who are willing and have the time to offer a temporary home to a rescue dog, to help us deal with the demand for our help in rehoming rescue Doodles. Fosterers play a crucial role in helping us with the process of assessing and re-homing doodles that come into our care. The main requirements are a loving, dog-friendly home and a secure back garden.
Dogs go into foster care so that they can be assessed for temperament, training level, and any health problems. The fosterer’s role includes seeing the dog through the neutering process, if not already neutered, introducing the new family to the dog to be adopted, seeing how any children behave, and how any existing dog reacts.
Fostering can be a very rewarding experience and we appreciate all the time and help our volunteers give. We have set out a few guidelines which we hope will be of help.
- Not all dogs coming through Rescue will be easy to deal with. A foster dog can be very time-consuming and turn your life upside down if there are behavioural or health issues. Some dogs are not housetrained or can be destructive. We will always give the fosterer as much information as possible about the dog, but we can only go by the information supplied by their previous owner. (Fosterers with young children will not be asked to deal with dogs who have shown any hint of aggression or who are given up to rescue as being out of control).
- Our rescue team is on hand to offer any advice and deal with any problems you may be having with a dog in your care. They will keep in touch with you to check on the dog’s progress and help with any concerns you might have. We also have a dog behaviourist on hand who is happy to advise on any training or behavioural issues you might encounter. We also have a private fosterers support group on Facebook.
- Fosterers may be required to see the dog through the neutering process to ensure he/she cannot be exploited in the future. Doodle Trust will, of course, pay for this.
- Any veterinary treatment MUST be discussed with the rescue team in advance, except in the case of an emergency. Doodle Trust will set up an account with a vet local to you, and all vet bills will be dealt with directly by the rescue so you are not left out of pocket.
- It is advisable not to encourage foster dogs onto sofas and/or beds. Whilst this may seem harsh if you allow your own dogs to do this, we have to consider that the dog might not be allowed onto the furniture when they move to their permanent home. It will make life much more pleasant for the dog if they have not been encouraged to do this in the first place.
- Foster dogs must wear an ID tag at all times. Tags will be supplied by us and will have Doodle Trust details and telephone numbers engraved on them. We ask you to provide a tag with your own contact details on it, also. This can be transferred from foster dog to foster dog as each dog goes to its new home. Please remember to remove any existing tags that are on the dog when it arrives with you, and do not pass any other tag on to the new owners except the official Doodle Trust one.
- We will supply dog food as required and this will be delivered directly to your door. Please liaise with us in plenty of time to ensure you have enough food. Some foster dogs arrive with their own food and any change in diet should be made gradually over several days where possible, to avoid an upset tummy. Should you decide to feed an alternative food, ie, the same food as your own dogs, that is ok but unfortunately, we cannot pay for this unless there are special diet requirements for a particular dog. We prefer our foster dogs to remain on the food provided by us. Special diet needs on the grounds of health etc can be discussed with the rescue team.
- If there are any additional items you feel are essential for the dog, ie, collar, lead, or training aids, please let us know so that we can provide you with them.
- Doodle Trust have public liability insurance in case the dog causes an accident, but of course, scrupulous care must be paid to avoid accidents by keeping the dog on the lead when out in public. In any case, a foster dog should not be allowed off-lead until they have had time to adjust and get to know you, and then only in a securely enclosed area.
- Some dogs arrive with all their worldly goods and others have nothing. It is advisable not to wash a dog's bed and belongings when they first arrive, even if they are grubby or a bit smelly as these smells will be familiar to the dog and will help him settle. By all means, bathe the dog if necessary using an appropriate dog shampoo. If the dog's coat is matted and you are unable to deal with this, please speak to the rescue team to arrange professional grooming.
If you are interested in becoming a fosterer for Doodle Trust, please contact us requesting to foster and tell us why you think you would be suitable. Give a contact phone number too and someone will call you.
Thank you.
