HRRN Volunteer Position
Waterer
What is a Waterer?
Being a waterer at House Rabbit Resource Network means that you are in charge of making sure the shelter bunny’s water bottles and crocks are filled and clean of algae on the day you volunteer.
What all does the job entail?
The job of Waterer is relatively easy, though it requires attention to detail. You have a water cart with wheels and watering cans to take the water to the cages where you check each rabbit’s water bottle, crock, or both. The rule of thumb for if to fill or not to fill is if the bottle is more a 1/4 of the way down, to go ahead and fill it back to the brim. This ensures that no bunny goes without water while waiting for the next waterers shift. There is also the need to check for algae on the surface of every bottle and crock. Algaecan alter the taste of the water and make some rabbits not want to drink, so we try our best to keep algae growth down by thoroughly washing out any bottle or crock that shows algae growth.
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 the first level of cages. The weight of the watering cans and water bottles is low, at the heaviest maybe 4 lbs.
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 water 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 watering partner.
When do I need to be at the shelter to water?
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 have water — 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 waterer is a huge help to the shelter, as well as gives you a lot of one-on-one personal time with the rabbits. While filling waters, 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 Waterer?
Yay! We’re so happy you think being a Waterer 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