Free · Certificate included
Volunteer Screening for Animal Shelters & Rescues
Screen the volunteers in your shelter the right way — protect animals, adopters, and the public and stay compliant.
What you’ll learn
- Why volunteer screening matters in animal shelters & rescues
- Which shelter volunteers to screen — a risk-based approach
- How to get FCRA disclosure and authorization right
- The adverse-action two-step, in the correct order
- Best practices and re-screening for animal shelters & rescues
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Why screening matters in animal shelters & rescues
Animal shelters & rescues depend on volunteers to carry out their mission — and those volunteers often have real access to animals, adopters, and the public.
5 min Quiz Interactive - 2
Who to screen in your shelter
Not every volunteer needs the same level of screening, but anyone with access to animals, adopters, and the public, to money, to keys/facilities, or to sensitive…
5 min Quiz Interactive - 3
Consent & the FCRA — getting it right
The moment you order a background check from a screening company, federal law — the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) — applies.
6 min Quiz Interactive - 4
Reading results & the adverse-action two-step
Most checks come back clear. If a record appears, remember a "possible match" is not a conviction — verify it’s really your applicant, and consider how relevant and…
6 min Quiz Interactive - 5
Best practices for animal shelters & rescues
Screening is one layer of a safe shelter.
5 min Quiz Interactive
Sources & further reading
VolunteerBadge Academy courses are provided free for general educational and informational purposes only. Every course is researched from reputable, authoritative sources (cited on the course), but VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC make no representations or warranties of any kind — express or implied — as to the accuracy, completeness, currentness, reliability, or suitability of the content for any purpose. Content may contain errors or omissions and may become outdated, and laws, regulations, standards, and best practices vary by jurisdiction and change over time. This material is not legal, medical, mental-health, clinical, financial, safety-certification, or other professional advice, and completing a course or earning a certificate creates no professional relationship, license, accreditation, or endorsement and is not a substitute for training, certification, supervision, or policies required by law, your organization, your insurer, or a licensing body. Always follow your organization's own policies and applicable law, use your own judgment, and consult a qualified professional (such as an attorney, licensed clinician, or medical provider) about your specific situation. In an emergency, call 911 (or, for a mental-health crisis, 988). To the fullest extent permitted by law, VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC disclaim all liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content or participation in any course.