Volunteers must submit a 3-page application, which includes a pledge to adhere to the RIDART Code of Conduct, and a recent (no more than one-year-old) criminal background check.

Click here to download the Application Form, download BCI Authorization Form and click here for instructions on how to get a background check. Submit a copy of these two documents (the application and BCI check) to the address below, and you're done. It's that simple!

If you have leadership skills, on the application please mention your interest in volunteering for a Shelter Management Team.

Training

Only a little screening, coordination, and specialized training are required. In particular, all volunteers must gain certification in ICS and NIMS (the Incident Command and National Incident Management Systems).

The US government makes that certification available for free through on-line independent study. The courses are called "Introduction to ICS" (IS-100) and "Introduction to NIMS" (IS-700). To get started, just click on IS-100 and IS-700 here.

Many more Independent Study courses that are free and provide certificates can be found on-line at http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp. RIDART also sponsors training events throughout the year. These opportunities are posted on the calendar to the left, as soon as details are available.

Volunteer Responsibilites

• Recruiting and organizing animal rescue teams
• Helping owners to evacuate their animals from the site of an emergency
• Organizing temporary animal shelters for response and recovery
• Providing animal care in shelters
• Triaging emergency animal care
• Keeping records of animal identification, ownership, and care
• Reuniting animals with owners.

Shelter Operations
The Shelter Management team is a staff of volunteers with exceptional leadership skills to effectively manage the shelter location during the emergency.
Locations:

• Boss Arena, Kingston RI
• Thayer Arena, Warwick RI

Veterinary Services