Kid volunteer playing with a cat

Volunteer opportunities for kids

Volunteering is a great way to spend time with the animals at our Sanctuary and also make a difference in their lives. When supervised by a parent or guardian, kids can volunteer to help with cleaning, walking and caring for the animals. Kids under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times while volunteering. One adult can supervise two minors.

For safety considerations, each animal area has its own minimum age requirements. The minimum age to volunteer in each area is:

Area Minimum age: 
Cat World - 9+ 
Bunny House - 8+ 
Parrot Garden - 8+ 
Dogtown and outings - 16+ 
Piggy Paradise - 16+ 
Horse Haven - 16+ 
Wild Friends - 18+ 
Sanctuary Store - 18+ 
Angels Rest - 18+ 
Landscaping - 18+

Learn more about volunteering at the Sanctuary

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Other activities for kids

Become a Best Friends Junior Ambassador

Does your child love animals? Want to introduce your kids to the world of animal welfare? Sign them up to become an official Best Friends Animal Society Junior Ambassador. Kids ages 8 to 13 can become junior ambassadors and get to know the fun side of saving animals' lives. Junior ambassadors will learn about lifesaving tactics like spay/neuter, adoption, trap-neuter-return (TNR) and more.

Please note: this activity takes place in person at the Sanctuary located in Kanab, UT. There is not currently an on-line Jr. Ambassador program.

Through this free opportunity, kids will:

  • Take part in a Best Friends grand Sanctuary tour and learn more about homeless pets
  • Complete a fun, educational activity booklet, going over what they learned on their tour
  • Take the junior ambassador oath to help save the lives of homeless pets
  • Earn their own official junior ambassador badge, which lets everyone know how much they love animals

After kids become official junior ambassadors, they can take what they learned back to their communities and spread the word about Best Friends and homeless pets to everyone they know.

Becoming a junior ambassador is free. Register your child in-person at the Best Friends Welcome Center at the Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

Can't make it to the Sanctuary? No worries! Check out the Best Friends Family Fun page and discover:

  • DIY pet project PDFs 
  • Meet our adorable, adoptable animals 
  • Meet the professionals 
  • New arrivals 
  • Youth action items in your community 
  • Virtual educational presentations