As a 100% volunteer run and powered charity, we rely on amazing volunteers to help us execute our rescue initiatives and projects. We are always looking for helpful hands who are reliable, take initiative and as passionate about northern dogs as we are. If that sounds amazing to you, please review the current opportunities for supporting Paws of the North Rescue. Some roles are in person while others are virtual.

Volunteer Positions

Ongoing

Short term foster care in Timmins is required when dogs fly in from the James Bay communities and they need to make a pit stop before being transported south.

All fostering supplies covered are by us (no expenses for the foster home).

We have a range of dogs that need temporary fostering from a few days to a week – puppies, young dogs and adult dogs.

If you are interested in fostering Paws of the North dogs and not located in Timmins, please review our current rescue partner list and apply with the closest partner rescue to foster for them.

On your application, please state you want to foster a northern dog or puppies. Current partners can be found here.

Most weekends, we need dogs to be picked up and transported south.

Pick up location is in Timmins with drop off being Muskoka or GTA. Sometimes the transport is divided into legs driven by multiple people while other times we have one driver request to do the transport roundtrip.

Transport costs (fuel & travel meals) are paid for with receipts.

If you are interested in driving and transporting our dogs, please join the Northern Rescue Drivers Facebook group where we post our needs.

Muskoka-based Volunteer Positions

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 2 Fundraising Coordinator Team members based in the Muskoka Region for in person and some virtual support In this role, we would love to have people join our team who are:
  • Passionate about Paws of the North Rescue ethics and goals as a rescue
  • Understanding of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our Northern communities – that starts with respect and taking the time to self educate on Indigenous issues – this includes learning about culture and history – and the role of dogs in indigenous communities in Canada
  • Recognizing the fact that behind the scenes roles are often without glory or praise – we do the work we do to support the dogs and their families. The work is conducted with utmost respect and dignity for the families
  • Reliable, able to consistently volunteer and operate with initiative once given tasks
  • Communicative, able to advocate and support building awareness for the dogs and their needs
  • Passionate about dogs and motivated to be part of an organization working with dogs in Ontario
WHAT WE EXPECT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THIS ROLE:
  • You can help contribute to fundraising and event ideas to help create regular events to raise funds to support POTN projects. Ideal for someone who loves using their creativity and local connections
  • Clear and regular communication with your team leader
  • You enjoy helping to bring things together –  executing fundraising ideas, getting the job done and enjoy the event planning aspect.  This may include; cold calling, picking up supplies needed, suggesting ways to improve the idea or event, promoting within your own community, etc.
  • There may be the occasional need to pick up donations and supplies and deliver to our local Huntsville location (use of a vehicle needed)
  • You are able to meet in person or via Zoom once every couple months at least to have a team meeting
  • Can commit to at-least four hours a week, some weeks more (ie week that an event is running)
  • Represent our rescue in a way that aligns with our values and ethics
  • Help to coordinate transportation of donations and supplies to and from Timmins (where goods are flown to the communities)
  • Help with organization of donations and supplies
APPLY NOW

Virtual Volunteer Positions

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 1 writer/content marketing volunteer to assist us with regular email marketing communication and blog writing for the POTN website. This role can be conducted anywhere in Ontario. In this role, we would love to have people join our team who are:
  • Passionate about Paws of the North Rescue ethics and goals as a rescue
  • Understanding of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our Northern communities – that starts with respect and taking the time to self educate on Indigenous issues – this includes learning about culture and history – and the role of dogs in indigenous communities in Canada
  • Recognizing the fact that behind the scenes roles are often without glory or praise – we do the work we do to support the dogs and their families. The work is conducted with utmost respect and dignity for the families
  • Reliable, able to consistently volunteer and operate with initiative once given tasks
  • Communicative, able to advocate and support building awareness for the dogs and their needs
  • Take initiative and organize their work
  • Be resourceful – seek out information, take existing information and adapt for our content marketing, make suggestions and look for areas of improvement
  • Approach the role with flexibility and open mindedness during the learning stages
WHAT WE EXPECT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THIS ROLE:
  • You can help to take existing communication and social media content and adapt appropriately to long format writing appropriate for the POTN email list and blog section of the website
  • Clear and regular communication with your team leader
  • You enjoy helping to bring things together –  you are able to take information and ideas that are out there and turn them into a beautiful story worth sharing through writing
  • You love finding ways to connect with our audience and rescue community – sharing stories, wins and our goals as a rescue
  • You are able to meet via Zoom or a phone call once every couple months at least to have a team meeting to discuss upcoming projects, ways forward and how to continue to increase our impact
  • Can commit to at-least four hours a week, some weeks more
  • Represent our rescue in a way that aligns with our values and ethics
  • You enjoy doing research, communicating your ideas and asking for help when you require it to get the job done
APPLY NOW
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 1 digital coordinator to help coordinate the behind the scenes digital organization of the rescue including regular website updates, keeping files and information organized for various projects (such as fundraising and grant writing) as well as digital assets. This role can be conducted anywhere in Ontario. In this role, we would love to have people join our team who are:
  • Passionate about Paws of the North Rescue ethics and goals as a rescue
  • Understanding of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our Northern communities – that starts with respect and taking the time to self educate on Indigenous issues – this includes learning about culture and history – and the role of dogs in indigenous communities in Canada
  • Recognizing the fact that behind the scenes roles are often without glory or praise – we do the work we do to support the dogs and their families. The work is conducted with utmost respect and dignity for the families
  • Reliable, able to consistently volunteer and operate with initiative once given tasks
  • Communicative, able to advocate and support building awareness for the dogs and their needs
  • Take initiative and organize their time and work effectively (on their own)
  • Be resourceful – seek out information, take existing information and adapt for our content marketing, make suggestions and look for areas of improvement
  • Create systems and smooth processes for the rescue
  • Approach the role with flexibility and open mindedness during the learning stages
WHAT WE EXPECT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THIS ROLE:
  • Create tracking sheets up to date/support online organization of POTN
  • Clear and regular communication with your team leader
  • Help manage ensuring content and information on the website is up to date – communicate information and knowledge needed to web developer as needed
  • You are tech savvy and love figuring things out
  • Beyond a passion for dogs you are organized, love creating systems and processes and automating things when possible
  • You are able to meet via Zoom or a phone call once every month or two at least to have a team meeting to discuss upcoming projects, ways forward and how to continue to increase our impact
  • Can commit to at-least four to five hours a week
  • Represent our rescue in a way that aligns with our values and ethics
  • You most likely have experience with Google products – Google Drive, Google Sheets and Docs
  • Ideally you love taking initiative and getting the job done
APPLY NOW

Toronto / GTA Based Positions

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 1 Fundraising Coordinator Team members based in the TORONTO/GTA Region for in person and some virtual support In this role, we would love to have people join our team who are:
  • Passionate about Paws of the North Rescue ethics and goals as a rescue
  • Understanding of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our Northern communities – that starts with respect and taking the time to self educate on Indigenous issues – this includes learning about culture and history – and the role of dogs in indigenous communities in Canada
  • Recognizing the fact that behind the scenes roles are often without glory or praise – we do the work we do to support the dogs and their families. The work is conducted with utmost respect and dignity for the families
  • Reliable, able to consistently volunteer and operate with initiative once given tasks
  • Communicative, able to advocate and support building awareness for the dogs and their needs
WHAT WE EXPECT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THIS ROLE:
  • You take a leadership role for spearheading fundraising events and event planning in and around the city of Toronto and GTA area
  • You can help contribute to fundraising and event ideas to help create regular events to raise funds to support POTN projects based in Toronto and the GTA.
  • Clear and regular communication with the team
  • This fundraising coordination will organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for POTN. Help raise awareness of our rescues work, goals and financial needs
  • You enjoy helping to bring things together –  executing fundraising ideas, getting the job done and enjoy the event planning aspect. This may include; cold calling, picking up supplies needed, suggesting ways to improve the idea or event, promoting within your own community, etc.
  • There may be the occasional need to pick up donations and supplies
  • You are able to meet in person or via Zoom once every couple months at least to have a team meeting
  • Can commit to at-least four hours a week, some weeks more (ie week that an event is running)
  • Represent our rescue in a way that aligns with our values and ethics
  • Passionate about dogs and motivated to be part of an organization working with dogs in Ontario
  • Love planning events, bringing people together to raise awareness for the dogs but also generate interest and donations
  • You love helping identify people and places that will align with the values of POTN
  • Help identify specific campaigns that can be engaged to help raise awareness and fundraising efforts in support of POTN initiatives and projects
  • Strong organizational and management skills
  • Love doing research – researching events, spaces and ideas
  • Comfortable reaching out to people and making connections
APPLY NOW
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 2 Fundraising Coordinator Team members based in the GTA or Toronto for in person and some virtual support In this role, we would love to have people join our team who are:
  • Passionate about Paws of the North Rescue ethics and goals as a rescue
  • Understanding of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with our Northern communities – that starts with respect and taking the time to self educate on Indigenous issues – this includes learning about culture and history – and the role of dogs in indigenous communities in Canada
  • Recognizing the fact that behind the scenes roles are often without glory or praise – we do the work we do to support the dogs and their families. The work is conducted with utmost respect and dignity for the families
  • Reliable, able to consistently volunteer and operate with initiative once given tasks
  • Communicative, able to advocate and support building awareness for the dogs and their needs
  • Passionate about dogs and motivated to be part of an organization working with dogs in Ontario
WHAT WE EXPECT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THIS ROLE:
  • You can help contribute to fundraising and event ideas to help create regular events to raise funds to support POTN projects. Ideal for someone who loves using their creativity and connections
  • Clear and regular communication with your team leader
  • You enjoy helping to bring things together –  executing fundraising ideas, getting the job done and enjoy the event planning aspect.  This may include; cold calling, picking up supplies needed, suggesting ways to improve the idea or event, promoting within your own community, etc.
  • There may be the occasional need to pick up donations and supplies and deliver to team members
  • You are able to meet in person or via Zoom once every couple months at least to have a team meeting
  • Can commit to at-least four hours a week, some weeks more (ie week that an event is running)
  • Represent our rescue in a way that aligns with our values and ethics
APPLY NOW

Volunteer Application Form

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Paws of the North Rescue Adoption Application

Adopting a dog is lifetime commitment that our team ensures that all responsibility and understanding of what is involved is taken into consideration prior to an adoption being approved.

Please answer ALL QUESTIONS with all requested information. We will NOT process an application we feel is not filled out adequately or has left some questions unanswered.

* all information provided is kept in strict privacy; must be 18 years or older