Are you interested in Volunteering with SAFE Horse Rescue?
SAFE volunteers are the heart and soul of this organization. Every day of the week there are dedicated volunteers at the farm, ensuring that our horses have adequate food, water, and a clean living environment. Volunteering with SAFE is hard work, but it is extremely fun and rewarding as well.
A Diverse and Inclusive Volunteer Workplace
Over the years, SAFE has been strengthened by its diverse group of volunteers. People from all walks of life come here to help horses. Our volunteers are people from different age groups, backgrounds, genders, national origins, religions, economic levels, and more. We provide equal opportunities for our employees and our volunteers. Discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, marital status, military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, or identity is not something that we allow here at this organization.
Ready to Get Started?
Please review the FAQ below carefully. After reading it, if you feel SAFE is a good fit for your volunteer time, please click on the link below to fill out our Volunteer Application:
Click here for the SAFE Volunteer Application
FAQ
Where are you located?
SAFE is located on a private horse facility in Redmond WA. Please consider the commute distance carefully…not only time but the expense of gas as well.
How old do I have to be to volunteer?
Due to insurance requirements and liability concerns, the minimum age for volunteers is 16 years old. You should be able to drive and have reliable transportation.
How frequently do I need to volunteer?
Primarily we are looking for barn chore volunteers who can work one 3–4 hour shift once per week, on the same day each week. We have two shifts 7 days a week, the AM shift is from 9‑noon, and the PM shift is from 4–7PM. Ideally, you can commit to one shift per week for 3 months. Wonder what it’s like to be on a shift, check out a short video of the AM shift here and the PM shift here.
I need volunteer hours for (school, work, court ordered community service). Can I complete them with SAFE?
Our volunteer program is not a good fit for one time or short term service. Because we expend resources in orienting, training, and scheduling new volunteers, we ask for a minimum 3 month commitment. If you are able to volunteer at least once per week for 3 months, we will provide you with written verification of your service hours.
I have an irregular work schedule, can I just let you know each month what days I am available?
No. Scheduling a group of 130+ volunteers to ensure that all of the horses’ daily needs are taken care of is an enormous challenge. Rotating schedules do not work well for our Volunteer Program (but keep reading, there are other ways to help!)
Can’t I just drop in randomly and help with whatever needs to be done?
No. Drop in volunteering does not work well for our Volunteer Program. However, volunteers with at least one regularly scheduled shift have the ability to add themselves to additional shifts when openings are available.
My employer offers corporate volunteer days, can we volunteer at SAFE?
Possibly! Depending on the number of people and the number of hours your group can volunteer, we may be able to tailor a special project for your group. Please email our Volunteer Manager at volunteer@safehorses.org to discuss the possibilities.
I have some physical limitations, can I still volunteer?
Feeding and caring for the horses requires that you be able to lift 50# or more. You need to be able to push a loaded wheelbarrow, carry full water buckets etc. Bad back, shoulder, knee? This is physically demanding work, and if you have restrictions this is not the job for you (but again, there are other ways to help, keep reading!)
I’m a very good rider, can I volunteer to ride the SAFE horses?
Unfortunately, SAFE does not offer volunteer riding opportunities. Most of our horses are very green, and many of them have physical or emotional scars from their neglect. SAFE employs professional training staff to provide careful, consistent training to bring the horses along to an adoptable state. If you are a professional trainer and would like to volunteer your services, please email our Operations Director, Terry Phelps-Peddy, at terry@safehorses.org with a list of your experience/qualifications. A recent video demonstrating your riding may be requested and an in-person evaluation will be required.
I just want to groom and love on the horses, do you need help with that?
It’s important to understand that volunteer opportunities at SAFE are geared toward what our horses need, which is to be fed, watered, and have a clean living space. SAFE is a great place to learn the art of horsekeeping. In fact, we encourage people who are considering owning horses someday to volunteer with us and learn firsthand what it takes to care for horses. But if you are looking for a place where you’ll be able to handle, pet, and groom the horses, SAFE really isn’t what you’re looking for. The horses at SAFE aren’t pets — they are survivors who have suffered neglect or abuse. During their tenure at SAFE, we will be helping them overcome past mistreatment, and that can be a delicate process. While we do tend to have a short list of horses that volunteers are allowed to pet, most of our horses can only be handled by staff. The decision is based on what we feel is best for the horse, not the people. It’s important that volunteers understand and accept that.
Are there other ways to volunteer besides farm chores?
YES! We need a lot of behind the scenes help to keep the rescue running. We need volunteers to make phone calls for adoption reference checks, travel to potential adopters for site checks, work at our major fundraisers, provide administrative help with operations etc.
Here is a guide to the SAFE Volunteer Opportunities: SAFE Volunteer Opportunities
I’m really busy and I don’t have a lot of time to give. I really want to help…what can I do?
Please consider becoming a monthly donor. Sponsor a horse for as little as $10 per month. A majority of our programs are financed by individual donors and this type of giving is just as critical to our success as the volunteers who scoop poop. Click here to become a monthly SAFE Sponsor!
I have a question not answered here, now what?
Our Volunteer Manager is happy to work with you to help determine where you best fit in. Please send an email to volunteer@safehorses.org.
What’s so great about volunteering at SAFE?
As one of our longtime volunteers once said, come for the horses, stay for the people! The SAFE volunteer community is made up of people from all walks of life, from teens to retirees. We’re a close knit group that celebrates difference and finds common ground in everyone. If you have a passion for caring for animals, you’ll find our farm to be an oasis of calm and caring, a place where people work side-by-side to make life better for horses. But don’t take our word for it! Here’s what our volunteers have to say about it:
“Besides the obvious (benefit) of getting a weekly horse fix, it is truly the people at SAFE that are so fantastic. I have never met a more welcoming, supportive, and dedicated group of people.” — volunteer Brandee W.
“Volunteering at SAFE is helping me to emotionally heal from a number of significant losses over the past year. I’m learning so many new things about horses and their care from the kind, patient, dedicated SAFE staff and volunteers.” — volunteer Debbie M.
“Not only do I love the horses at SAFE, but the people have been incredibly welcoming and supportive. They’ve become like a second family to me in a very short amount of time.” — volunteer Kino M
“I am so proud to be part of this organization. I continue to be impressed by the hard work, dedication, devotion, and pure love that goes into running SAFE. The people and the horses, of course, keep me coming back. I’ve never felt so good about scooping poop!” — volunteer Sam J.
“Being a part of the SAFE community has felt like a gift. I have learned so much since joining the team, and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by like-minded and strong horse people.” — volunteer Casey A.
“It’s inspiring to watch the changes these horses go through as they learn to trust humans again. Love, care, patience, and persistence changes lives, animal and human alike.” — volunteer Carolyn G.
“Volunteering at SAFE has been such a blessing in my life. I look forward to getting up every Saturday to see the horses and spend time with awesome volunteers. I have learned more than I could have imagined in my time with SAFE.” — volunteer Jennifer A.
