In celebration of Global Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week in the United States and Canada, we express our sincere appreciation for the volunteers around the world who are helping make the world a better place for animals. Kari Nienstedt, senior managing director of volunteer outreach and engagement at Humane World for Animals, knows firsthand the profound impact of this work. Here she shares her own story of becoming involved in changing the world for animals and what she does now to build a community of people doing the same.
I started out in animal protection as a volunteer, and that experience continues to inspire and guide my efforts to create a better world for all animals. I have never forgotten the happiness I felt when I first realized that I had the power to help animals, and today I cannot imagine my life without the sense of mission that came with it. That grassroots experience laid the foundation for my later career in volunteer engagement, and there isn’t a day when I don’t feel grateful.
For more than a decade, I served as a remote volunteer for a national farm animal protection organization (Farm Sanctuary) while working a full-time job unrelated to animals. Assuming I wouldn’t ever have the chance to find a paid position as an animal advocate, I poured my heart into volunteering. I hosted speakers and fundraisers, led educational outreach, launched a community website and built a local network of committed advocates.
Through that volunteer work, I made connections with people in the broader field and did all I could to demonstrate my commitment. The organizational skills I gained made a difference, as did my affinity for managing other volunteers. I made it my business to learn as much as I could about animal issues, too.
All of this led to my first paid position in animal advocacy, as a campaign manager for a state-wide ballot initiative that in 2006 led to a prohibition on the use of veal crates and gestation crates in Arizona. That campaign engaged more than 1,200 volunteers statewide. Of all the things I learned, one stands out: There is simply no way it would have been successful without volunteers.
During that campaign, I worked closely with staff members of Humane World for Animals (then the Humane Society of the United States). After the measure passed, the organization offered me a full-time position as its Arizona state director. It was a dream come true! I worked on public policy, citizen advocacy, coalition building, assisted our Animal Rescue Team, and hosted law enforcement training. And in my nearly eight years in that role, I was always looking for ways to engage volunteers as much as possible.
The organization was giving more thought and attention to volunteer engagement, too. And I was fortunate in being able to transition to a role focusing on volunteer engagement and the expansion of volunteer programs across the organization.
We have grown the programs a lot. From on-site volunteer roles at the Animal Care Expo and Taking Action for Animals conferences to administrative and research projects, our Volunteer Services program works to engage people not only in the United States but around the world.
Over and over, I have seen the incredible impact that volunteers can have. In 2025, across Humane World for Animals, 1,426 volunteers contributed over 83,600 hours…valued at over $2.9 million! A few highlights from 2025:
- Our Animal Rescue Volunteer program engaged 245 volunteers to support our Animal Rescue Team efforts, donating almost 24,000 hours (67 of the volunteers contributed over 100 hours each!).
- Over 330 policy volunteers logged over 5,100 hours, taking actions to support priority federal, state and local efforts in the U.S., including: 75 letters to the editor submitted, 218 meetings with legislators, and 1,781 calls to legislator offices.
- We engaged 66 volunteer phone bankers on seven high-priority state and federal legislative matters, making over 5,230 calls.
- Our Rural Area Veterinary Services program engaged 321 veterinary professionals, students and other volunteers, who donated over 27,600 hours to support the health and well-being of animals, families and communities impacted by systemic poverty and geographic isolation.
- In India, volunteers also play a vital role in building compassionate communities. During the Holi and Diwali festivals, they have helped to make related events safer for community dogs. In Dehradun, volunteers supported local communities by sponsoring anti-rabies vaccinations for dogs and strengthening public health and street dog welfare; in 2025, 297 neighborhoods became self-sustainable in managing their street dogs.
Several years ago, we achieved accreditation for Humane World for Animals as a Service Enterprise. Organizations that gain this recognition are among the top 11% of nonprofits in the United States in volunteer engagement. This year, we’re partnering with America250 and doing our part to make 2026 a record-setting year for volunteer service through the America Gives initiative.
I am so grateful to do what I love for a living, and I am excited to be able to provide other people who love and care for animals with every possible opportunity to play their part in advancing animal protection. I continue to volunteer in my spare time—from sitting on nonprofit boards to helping people register to vote—because we could not have enough volunteerism around the world. I don’t ever want to forget what that personal commitment means to me, and it makes me especially thankful for the volunteers who step up to help our work.
Each of us understands that our time is valuable, and it can be difficult to accommodate volunteering in our schedules. But there are rewards for volunteering for animals and lending our time and energy to advancing animal protection. And the benefits to the animals make our commitment the cause of a lifetime.
Kari Nienstedt is senior managing director of volunteer outreach and engagement for Humane World for Animals.
