To maintain a positive, respectful, and productive environment, all volunteers representing Angie’s Stray Foundation are expected to adhere to the following standards of behavior:

1. Representation of ASF
   
   
   • Volunteers must conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on ASF at all times, both during and outside of official volunteer activities.
   • Communication about ASF animals should be balanced, honest, and constructive. Volunteers should highlight the animals’ unique qualities while acknowledging potential challenges to ensure transparency and compatibility with adopters.
     
     
2. Respect and Professionalism
   
   
   • Volunteers must treat fellow volunteers, leadership team members, board members, partner organizations, vendors, and adopters with respect, courtesy, and professionalism, at all times.
   • Concerns, conflicts, or grievances should be addressed directly and privately with Ruth Jenkins.
   • Engaging in gossip, unconstructive behavior, or publicly airing grievances is considered inappropriate and will not be tolerated.
     
     
3. Collaboration
   
   
   • Volunteers must strive to foster a spirit of collaboration, avoiding gossip or negativity about other rescues, shelters, or organizations. ASF is committed to building bridges within the rescue community and supporting shared goals.
     
     
4. Animal Intake and Placement Decisions
   
   
   • Volunteers must respect that only the ASF Leadership Team are authorized to make decisions regarding animal intake, temporary fostering, and adoption placements. These decisions are made with the animal’s and the organization’s best interests in mind.
   • I will gain approval from the ASF Leadership Team before engaging with posts about animals in need on social media.
     
     
5. Promoting ASF’s Mission
   
   
   • Volunteers must actively support ASF’s mission of promoting animal wellness and building positive community connections. This includes avoiding actions or comments that could harm the reputation of the rescue or its partnerships.
     
     
6. Confidentiality and Boundaries
   
   
   • Volunteers are expected to maintain confidentiality regarding ASF’s internal matters, including sensitive animal cases, partnerships, and organizational strategies.
   • Any resources, contacts, or opportunities gained through ASF must remain for the benefit of ASF and should not be diverted to other organizations or personal ventures.
   • Volunteers must disclose if they are volunteering, fostering or serve in a leadership role for another rescue organization.
     
     
7. Accountability
   
   
   • Volunteers agree to take responsibility for their actions, abide by ASF policies, and seek guidance when in doubt about proper conduct or procedures.
     
     
8. Termination of Volunteer Status

• • ASF reserves the right to remove any volunteer for failing to uphold the standards outlined in this agreement or engaging in behavior that undermines the organization’s mission or reputation.

For the mutual benefit of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. and the volunteer, and in consideration of the duties outlined in the Foster Guide, Mini Guide, Volunteer/Foster Agreement, and through direct communications, the volunteer shall have access to and receive, in part or in whole, information and data considered as confidential information.

Confidential information is defined herein and shall be construed as and applied to include, without limitation, documents, vet records, information, data, drawings, stakeholder and prospective stakeholder information, plans, programs, and any and all information in relation to marketing, sales, financials, copyright materials, and other intellectual property, collectively referred hereunder as confidential information, and that shall be accessed, received, and used exclusively for the furtherance of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. and in connection with the performance of the job duties of the volunteer.

The volunteer will hold confidential information of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. that is indirectly or directly accessed, received, and used in strict confidence to the extent permissible by local, state, and federal law and public policy, regarding the disclosure of confidential information. The volunteer shall exercise a reasonable degree of care to prevent unauthorized disclosure of confidential information to others including, but not limited to, other volunteers of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc., non‐affiliated individuals of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc., or any other individual, collectively referred hereunder as “others” that do not have express privileges to confidential information.

The volunteer will not disclose or divulge, either directly or indirectly, the confidential information to others unless express written authorization to do so is received in advance by the Director of Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. The volunteer will not reproduce the confidential information nor use the confidential information commercially or for any purpose other than for the performance of the job duties that are for the furtherance of Angie’s Stray Foundation. The volunteer will, immediately upon request or upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of the volunteer’s active position and status with Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. return to Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. any and all confidential information in the volunteer’s possession, as well as return to Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. any other items, information, and data in the volunteer’s possession.

Angie’s Stray Foundation shall have and retain the sole right to determine the treatment of any information that is in connection, in part or in whole, with Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc.'s services, processes, and business operations received from the volunteer, including the right to keep the same as a trade secret, to use and disclose the same without prior patent application, to file copyright registrations in its own name, or follow any other procedure as Angie’s Stray Foundation, Inc. deems appropriate.

I acknowledge and understand that fostering any animal through Angie’s Stray Foundation comes with both known and unknown risks. I am fully aware that interacting with animals, including but not limited to kittens, cats, puppies, and dogs, presents potential hazards, including but not limited to the following:

• Risks of being bitten, scratched, jumped upon, knocked over, or chased.
• Risks of tripping, falling, or being otherwise injured.
• Risks of contracting zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible from animals to humans).
• Risks of damage to personal property, including furniture, clothing, and other belongings.

I understand that ASF cannot guarantee the temperament of animals I foster, as each animal’s behavior may vary and change over time. I acknowledge that the animals I foster may have different personalities, histories, and behavioral challenges, and I assume full responsibility for the care, handling, and wellbeing of the animal(s) placed in my care.

By fostering an animal, I accept these risks and agree to take all necessary precautions to ensure my safety and the safety of others in my household, as well as to prevent damage to my personal property. I accept full responsibility for the animal(s) in my care and understand that ASF cannot be held liable for any injuries or damages that occur.

I hereby fully release, discharge, and hold harmless Angie’s Stray Foundation, its officers, agents, volunteers, and employees from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action, including but not limited to those arising from personal injuries, including death, which may accrue to me or any third party as a result of my involvement in fostering a pet through Angie’s Stray Foundation.

I further agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Angie’s Stray Foundation, its officers, agents, volunteers, and employees from any and all claims, injuries, damages, losses, or expenses, including legal fees, resulting from injuries, including death, sustained by me or any third party in connection with or arising out of my participation in the fostering of an Angie’s Stray Foundation pet.