Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi everyone!

So I was curious how your organization identifies volunteers vs public. Shirts? Badges? We currently have badges, but their not easy to read or to identify from far away. We are trying to utilize our volunteers for more, so if they are easily identifiable to the public then they would ask them questions instead of waiting long minutes to get a staff memeber who is at the front desk, etc. All reccommdendations would be greatly appreciated!

T-Shirts.  With the name of your organization in big letters across the front.  Heck, maybe even on the back, too.  We have a t-shirt shop that does a good job and with a minimum order, relatively inexpensive.....$10 range.  Volunteers have been more than happy to buy their own shirt so there is no cost to the organization. 

Thank you. So you had your volunteers purchase the T shirts? How many do you require them to have? 

We don't require volunteers to have the t-shirts but almost all of them bought one.  It's a very effective way to distinguish volunteers from the public.  

We do shirts, provided by the organization as they are 'required wear' for adoption events.  Logo is all the same, but different colors.  We got white ones and tie-dyed them last summer and planning to do the same this summer.

I have worked with shelters in the past who did aprons...more costly than t-shirts, and IIRC volunteers had to purchase them.  Useful though with the built-in pockets.  And badges too, that identified you up close.

Thank you. So you had your volunteers purchase the T shirts? How many do you require them to have? 

There is no requirement.  They can have one if that's all they want.  Most of our more dedicated volunteers have a shelf or so full of them.  Since we only need them for adoption events, that's a once-a-week commitment at the most...gives you time to wash it if you just have one.

We usually provide the first one or two on the house, but if they want like a personalized shirt, the volunteer pays at least the extra for the embroidery.

All staff and volunteers wear plastic name badges. Branded shirts are optional except for humane ed camp staff who need to be easily identified by kids. We give staff shirts when they on-board, and offer monthly discount days where they can purchase more in several styles. 

Name badges, we also provide aprons with pockets they can wear over their clothes.