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Foster-based rescue in Austin, Texas · 501(c)(3) nonprofit · No shelter, no kennels

Found an animal? Start here

Volunteer

Nobody here is paid. That is not a slogan.

New Hope has no staff and no building. Every cat fed, every application screened, every dog driven out of a shelter parking lot is somebody doing it around their job. Most roles below are a few hours a month.

Open roles

What needs doing

Hands on animals

  • Cat Caretaker

    Training first

    A shift at one of our in-store catteries: litter, food, water, cages, bedding, floors — and eyes on every cat so a health change gets caught the day it starts.

  • Cat Socializer

    Training first

    Sit with the shy ones. A cat who will approach a stranger gets adopted; a cat pressed to the back of the condo does not. This is the work that changes that.

Events

  • Adoption Event Coordinator

    Training first

    Run the event: setup, volunteer assignments, animal check-in, and the teardown nobody sees.

  • Adoption Event Assistant

    A few hours at a PetSmart or Petco: handle animals, talk to families, hand out applications. The easiest way to start.

Adoption side

  • Pet Profile Writer

    Can do from home

    Interview the foster, then write the bio that makes someone stop scrolling. Remote, flexible, and one of the highest-leverage jobs in the rescue.

  • Adoption Assistant

    Training firstCan do from home

    Move applications forward: answer adopter questions, coordinate meet-and-greets, keep files from going cold.

  • Adoption Reference Checker

    Training firstCan do from home

    Call vets and personal references. Short calls, clear script, and the step that most often decides a placement.

Driving

  • Freedom Ride Driver

    Training first

    Drive the leg between a shelter and safety. Often the single ride that takes an animal off a euthanasia list.

  • Animal Transport

    Training first

    Vet runs, foster hand-offs, event drop-offs. Flexible, scheduled ahead, and endlessly needed.

Foster

  • Rescue Animal Foster

    Training firstCan do from home

    Open your home for a few weeks or a few months. We cover the medical care. You provide the couch and the routine.

Fundraising

  • Fundraiser Coordinator

    Can do from home

    Plan and run a campaign or an event. Bring your own idea, or take one of ours off the shelf.

Locations

Where the shifts are

Our cat adoption centers live inside these stores, and most adoption events run out of them too. Pick the ones you can actually get to on a Saturday.

PetSmart

  • Brodie Lane

    5207 Brodie Ln, Sunset Valley 78745

  • Bee Cave

    12812 Shops Pkwy #400, Bee Cave 78738

  • Mueller

    1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin 78723

  • Balcones

    11150 Research Blvd, Austin 78759

  • Cedar Park

    11066 Pecan Park Ste 315, Cedar Park 78613

Petco

  • Sunset Valley

    5601 Brodie Ln #100, Sunset Valley 78745

  • West Lake

    3201 Bee Caves Rd Ste 117, Austin 78746

  • Pflugerville

    19000 Limestone Commercial Dr #400, Pflugerville 78660

  • Arboretum

    9828 Great Hills Trl #400, Austin 78759

  • Round Rock

    2701-A Parker Dr #100, Round Rock 78681

Practical

Before you apply

  • Volunteers must be 18 or older.
  • We ask for photo ID at your first shift. It stays with staff and is never shared or published.
  • Cattery, transport, and application-screening roles have a short onboarding before you go solo.
  • Tell us about allergies, lifting limits, or anything else on the form. We place around them rather than screening for them.