Special discounts now live! Tap to view all partner offers.
Volunteer with Thistle Paws Rescue
At Thistle Paws Rescue, we couldn’t do what we do without our amazing volunteers. From fostering dogs to helping at events, every hour of time given makes a real difference for animals in need. Whether you have a few hours a month or more time to spare, there’s a role for you!
Why Volunteer?
Be part of a community that changes lives
Gain new skills and experience
Make a difference to rescue animals
Flexible opportunities to suit your lifestyle
Fostering
Fostering is at the very heart of Thistle Paws Rescue. As a foster-based rescue, every dog we save goes into a loving foster home across Scotland, where they can feel safe, build confidence, and prepare for adoption. When you foster, you’re not just offering a place to stay you’re giving a dog the chance at a whole new life.
We cover veterinary care, provide food and supplies if needed, and offer ongoing support and guidance from our foster coordinators. You’ll never be on your own our team will be there to help with training tips, socialisation, and advice whenever you need it.
Whether you can foster for a few weeks or a few months, every space makes a huge difference. Some dogs are adopted quickly, while others need a little more time to learn to trust and find the right family. Either way, fostering truly saves lives.
Home Checking
Home checkers play a vital role in making sure our rescue dogs go to safe, secure, and loving homes. Every adoption or foster placement begins with a home check, and it’s thanks to our volunteer team that we can match dogs to the right families.
Most of our home checks are carried out online via video call, so we’re looking for volunteers who are confident with technology. You’ll need to be comfortable using platforms such as Facebook messenger and able to complete short reports using Microsoft Word. Full training and guidance are provided, along with ongoing support from our experienced team.
The role involves meeting potential adopters or fosterers, chatting through their home setup, and ensuring the environment is suitable for a rescue dog. A home check usually takes around 60-90 minutes, with a little extra time to complete your notes and email correspondence. If you can spare just an hour or two each week, it can make a huge difference to the lives of the dogs waiting for homes.
By becoming a home checker, you’ll be directly helping dogs find their forever families. It’s a flexible, rewarding volunteer role that truly saves lives.
Welfare Support
Our Welfare Support volunteers are there for both animals and people, providing a vital link between the rescue and our adopters. This role focuses on offering advice and reassurance to new adopters, helping them with behaviour and welfare guidance as their dog settles in.
It’s a supportive, people-focused role that makes a huge difference in keeping our animals safe and happy in their new homes. You don’t need to be an expert behaviourist, just patient, understanding, and confident in sharing advice based on our guidance and resources.
You’ll be part of a group of Welfare Support volunteers, meaning you’re never on your own. Together, the team can provide advice, answer questions, and offer encouragement to adopters when they need it most. By giving your time, you’ll be helping families succeed and making sure every dog has the best chance to thrive.
Not everyone can foster or adopt, but transport volunteers are absolutely vital in helping our dogs reach safety 💜
We’re looking for kind, reliable people across Scotland who can help move dogs from one location to another. This could be:
• Helping a dog get from a surrender home to a foster
• Assisting with journeys to vet appointments
• Moving dogs between foster homes when needed
You don’t need to commit to long journeys. Part journeys, lift shares, or full trips are all incredibly helpful. Even covering a small section of a route can make a huge difference.
We will always organise routes in advance and fuel costs are covered, so you’ll never be out of pocket.
All we ask is that you’re reliable, have a suitable vehicle, and are happy to follow our safety guidelines to keep every dog secure during travel.
Whether you can help once in a while or more regularly, you’ll be playing a direct part in changing a dog’s life.
If you would like further information or to apply for any of the volunteer roles above please message us directly via our Facebook page or Email us at info@thistlepawsrescue.org
