Volunteer
Volunteer
Thank you very much for your interest in volunteering at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals! We have an incredible group of volunteers, and by donating your time, energy, and love, you can join them in playing an integral role in promoting the health and well-being of all the horses.
Current Opportunities
The needs at the farm continuously change. Please complete the volunteer application if a current open opportunity is of interest. We will be back in touch with you as soon as possible.
If a currently available opportunity is not of interest, please check back regularly to see when any of the other listed opportunities may be available. Thank you for your patience and understanding as the MSSPA works to provide the best care for the rescued horses.
Please note that if you are under 16 years old, a parent/guardian will need to volunteer alongside you at the shelter.
Please complete the Volunteer Application to indicate your interest in volunteering.
You can volunteer any day of the week between 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, unless otherwise indicated, for these opportunities:
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Washing feed buckets – Mornings are best, but flexible
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Picking paddocks – Need to have horse experience and feel comfortable using a heavy wheelbarrow to move manure. Only mornings 9:00 – 11:00 am.
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Cleaning barns – Scrubbing stall doors/walls
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Cleaning the building – washing windows, dusting, sweeping, mopping, filling toilet paper/paper towel holders, taking out trash, etc.
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Arena maintenance – raking down sides, dusting off kick walls, dusting metal piping, window washing, etc.
These other opportunities are not currently available but may be in the future. Please check back to see when new opportunities become available.
- Carpentry – checking/repairing fences, replacing nails with uniform hardware, shed repairs
- Scraping/painting – Fences, barns, sheds
- Mucking stalls – Mornings between 9:00 -11:00 am
- Raking hay
- Grounds maintenance – mowing, weeding, gardening, thistle removal, raking, weed whacking
Volunteering FAQ’s
- The River Road farm is open seven days a week from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
- You do not need to have horse experience to volunteer (unless an opportunity indicates otherwise). The MSSPA will provide the training required to volunteer.
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult co-volunteer.
- The MSSPA welcomes volunteers looking to fulfill most community service requirements for educational and/or legal purposes. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information.
- There is no required number of hours/days to volunteer, and we try to meet the scheduling needs of volunteers to the best of our ability.
- After 20 hours of service, volunteers are awarded an MSSPA volunteer t-shirt and have the opportunity to groom horses.
- We ask that all volunteers and staff wear closed-toed/heeled shoes, and long pants/leggings when they volunteer at the River Road farm.
- If you have a special skill that you would like to share with the MSSPA (i.e. photography, bookkeeping, fundraising, etc.), please talk with the Volunteer Coordinator.
Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Molly McMahon, at [email protected] with any questions.
Volunteering as a Group
The MSSPA welcomes organizations, corporations, schools, and community groups. Volunteering on the farm is an excellent way for a corporation or local business to increase community engagement and team building. After a tour of the Society, and the chance to meet and learn about the rescued horses, group members work together to accomplish farm chores and other projects that benefit the horses.
Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Molly McMahon, at [email protected] for more information or to set up a group volunteer experience!
