HRRN Volunteer Position
Hayer
What is a Hayer?
Being a hayer at House Rabbit Resource Network means that you are in charge of making sure the shelter bunnies get their breakfast or dinner of timothy hay for the day you are volunteering.
Hay is the most important part of a rabbit’s diet, so this job is essential for keeping all of our shelter bunnies happy and healthy.
What all does the job entail?
The job of Hayer is relatively easy, and very rewarding –the bunnies are always big fans of whoever brings them hay or pellets! You have a hay cart with wheels filled with Timothy Hay, and you go from cage to cage placing the right amount of hay in either the rabbit’s hay feeder attached to their cage or their litter box.
The physical restrictions of this job are low, but some individuals may struggle with reaching up to the third tier of cages or bending down to place hay in the first level of cages. The weight of the hay you are placing in the cages is low, but there are times that the hay cart needs refilled and you would need to put a new bale of hay (approx. 40 lbs), in the cart. However, if you know that will be a problem, let our volunteer coordinator know and she can ensure that either someone could be at the shelter with you who could load the hay if needed, or make sure that the hay cart is loaded before your shift. We will do our best to work with you and make your volunteer day as easy and fun as possible!
How long does this take per visit?
Depending on the number of rabbits at the shelter (our numbers vary from about 150 to 215), the job can take anywhere from an hour to two hours. You can choose to hay the rabbits on your own, or if you’d like someone to help you and chat with while you both work, our shelter coordinator can schedule another volunteer to be your haying partner.
When do I need to be at the shelter to hay?
Depending on whether you have the morning or afternoon shift, the times we request you be there are anywhere from 6 am to 9 am, or 4 pm to 8 pm. We understand most of our volunteers work full time jobs and have families, so we do our best to give a range of time for you to be there.
What if something happens and I can't make it?
We get it, things happen. However, because this job is such an important one — making sure the shelter bunnies are fed — we ask that you give us a 48 hour heads up if at all possible. This allows for us to send out a plea to the other volunteers to fill your shift.
But, we understand sometimes that much notice can’t be given, emergencies happen. For these instances, just let us know as soon as possible. Once again because of the importance of this job, if several short notice emergencies occur within a short period of time, we may ask that you either take a break from volunteering until things settle down where you can be more consistent schedule-wise, or see if there is a more fluid volunteer opportunity that may work better for you.
How much rabbit interaction do I get?
Being a hayer is a huge help to the shelter, as well as gives you a lot of one-on-one personal time with the rabbits. While placing their hay in their cages, we encourage our volunteers to give head pets and talk to our rabbits. You’ll begin creating relationships with several rabbits, and its always fun to see their ears perk up when they hear your voice.
Want to become a Hayer?
Yay! We’re so happy you think being a Hayer is the right volunteer opportunity for you! Please fill out our volunteer application and our volunteer coordinator will reach out to you within a few days to schedule your first day at the shelter.
Questions?
If you still have questions about this position, please contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@rabbitresource.org