Join the team

If you want a space to channel your passion and ideas into doing good for the rat community, we would love to have you.

Whatever your skills, time commitment or style of volunteering, you can contribute! Take on a specific recurring job, pitch in for a one-off project, or offer your specific skills as-needed. More roles are opening up all the time as we set up our new structure.

Even if you live outside of areas where we’re taking in rats, you can join us to remotely help support and coordinate help for people and rats in need.
Don’t be shy to put your name down to be contacted later or for something specific - knowing the offer is there means we can reach out, and if we get enough interested volunteers in a new region we might be able to start coordinating some hands-on rescue work there.

How to get started:

Contact us by emailing hello@rachiesratirementhome if you need a hand.

Step 1: Submit a volunteer application (click here) and keep an eye on your email. You can join us immediately, or put your name down to be contacted for something specific in the future. You can also read our current role descriptions (click here) and see if there’s anything specific we’re currently doing that you’re interested in.

Step 2: Join our Discord (click here) and introduce yourself so we can tee up a chat and induction, show you around and settle you in. (Saturdays and Mondays are ideal but we’re flexible.)

Step 3: You can get a head start on your induction by reading through the induction info (click here), and by signing our NDA (click here) and Volunteer Agreement (click here), and emailing both to exec@rachiesratirementhome.com

That’s it! Together we can do so much more, and we can’t wait for you to be a part of it.

Apply to volunteer
Join the Discord

FAQ around with us

  • Everything! We’re 100% volunteer run, always have been. From leading the rescue, to writing educational content, developing best-practice policies for our own work, fostering rats, transport, fundraising, sponsorship, outreach, attending an email inbox and helping people with day-to day inquiries, matching rats to homes, helping people with advice and support so they don’t have to surrender, and being there for them if they do - there are a lot of moving parts to suit a range of skills and interests.

  • That’s up to you! Read through the available roles to find something that suits you, or reach out if there’s nothing that currently suits - there might be a really great fit somewhere.
    Some of us spent a few days a week, some spend an hour, some are on a “call me when you need my specific skills” basis. So long as people are consistent and communicative, we’re really flexible.

  • We’re currently restructuring the rescue from a central shelter into a decentralized foster group, and are temporarily closed for animal intake while we get everything optimized. We will soon be needing foster, transport and other hands-on volunteers, so please shoot an application through if you’d like us to get in touch when it’s time!
    Otherwise, come tell us how you can help!

  • With parental consent, quite possibly! Get in touch and we’ll have a chat about what might suit best.

  • Absolutely, we are a disabled-led org with a beautifully diverse team at every level. The baseline expectation is being able to fulfill your role safely and independently, and follow the policies and expectations of the org. Support workers are welcome, they will be required to undergo the training and induction for the role they are assisting you with.
    Let us know what accessibility and safety looks like for you, (there’s a section in the volunteer application) and we’ll always do our best to ensure everyone can participate as fully and autonomously as possible. Please reach out if you need help or have any questions.

  • Lots! We appreciate you so much, we NEED community to survive and thrive!

    • Check out the Role Descriptions by clicking the button above, at the very bottom is a list of microvolunteering suggestions - small acts with no commitment and no barriers.

    • Financial support is a high impact way to help us serve the community. Check the donations page or contact us about sponsorship.

    • Help us reach people by liking, sharing, tagging, commenting and watching us on social media! Help us beat the algorithm and get seen among the slush bait content, we very genuinely need your engagement to reach donors and those who need us.

    • Recommending us as a place to be sponsored or supported by businesses and community groups, to people who need help we can provide, to people who might want to volunteer or who would benefit from our resources. Be our ambassador!

    • Hosting a fundraiser in support of the rescue’s work - and get in touch so we can shout it from the rooftops.

    • Get in touch and tell us what YOU think you could do! Could you run an info/outreach stall at a rat show? Proofread? Love making rat memes or cute graphics? Long-haul trucker with room for a rat now and then? You might be surprised how many important small or one-off things there are if we know you’re there as an option, and how to contact you when the need arises.

  • Put in a volunteer application! Tell us what area you’re in, what you’d be capable/comfortable doing, your experience, anything that might help us build a potential team. If we can get a solid group together in a new area, we might be able to start coordinating and supporting rescue work there!